Thursday Throwback: When Nandita Das commented on set beauty standards | – Times of India

This Friday, director Balwinder Singh Janjua’s ‘Tera Kya Hoga Lovely,’ a profound exploration of pigmentation and societal biases, will hit the theatres. In the movie, actress Ileana Cruz takes on the role of a girl facing societal judgments due to her dark skin, hindering her prospects of finding a husband.
Bollywood has not shied away from addressing such pertinent issues, with racism becoming a recurring theme in movies.Celebrities have actively voiced their opinions on this matter on various media platforms. Diving into the past, we recall an impactful statement by actor-filmmaker Nandita Das addressing the prevalent beauty standards in the Indian film industry. Nandita Das openly supported Nawazuddin Siddiqui‘s condemnation of racism within the entertainment sector in 2017.

Nandita said, “I am sure it is no surprise to anyone that Nawazuddin’s skin colour would have impeded his career. All around us the images of women and now increasingly of men, are those with light skin. Be it films, television, magazines, hoardings, ads… Everywhere we have ‘fair’ people, in a country that is largely dark!”

“Every skin care product has a skin lightening element. Dark skinned people are often made to feel inadequate… right from their childhood. I can see the challenges that Nawazuddin must have faced in his career. After he has been around for over 10 years, it is his sheer talent and perseverance that has made him overcome this prejudice,” she concluded.