Desi women with dark skin are getting recognition abroad. Pop singer Lara Raj of KATSEYE, actresses Charithra Chandran and Simone Ashley from 'Bridgerton', Avantika Vandanapu from 'Mean Girls', and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan from 'Never Have I Ever' are the ones changing global beauty standards.
They have been rewarded with magazine covers, luxury brand collaborations, and a massive fan following all over the world for their confidence, uniqueness, and their unashamed way of celebrating their melanin-rich skin.
Nevertheless, Bollywood keeps on promoting a limited and uniform beauty model that features a person of fair complexion, light eyes, and Eurocentric features. Although India is a land of various skin tones, the film industry still lacks the courage to give the leading roles to dark-skinned women. When they are given a chance, they are usually stereotyped, filtered, or their skin is lightened. The representation of characters both in movies and in beauty ads is still going only in one direction.
Experts trace this bias to a deep-rooted cultural hangover, a legacy of colonization and caste hierarchy that linked fair skin with beauty, privilege, and success.
While Hollywood and global media are embracing diversity and redefining beauty standards, Bollywood remains stuck in its obsession with perfection. The result? A narrow, unrealistic image of beauty that erases the rich variety of skin tones and features that truly represent India.
The international fame of people like Simone Ashley from 'Bridgerton' and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan from 'Never Have I Ever' indicates that being true to oneself has a stronger appeal to people from different cultures than just following the crowd. Their coming up is a reflection for Bollywood to look into. It tells Bollywood that the real beauty of India is not one but many skin tones, features, and identities.
Credit: AFP
Hollywood is diverse and inclusive. So, when will India accept its own different shades?
