Advertisement

Updated September 13th, 2019 at 20:00 IST

Nandita Das: Discrimination on basis of skin colour unwarranted

Nandita Das says she was fortunate that her parents did not put any complex about her skin colour but she encountered such biases in the film industry. 

Nandita Das
| Image:self
Advertisement

Actor-director Nandita Das says there is a need to put the 'unity in diversity' line to practice but such is the level of discrimination that fair is considered lovely in a country where 90 per cent of the population has dark skin. Nandita Das says she was fortunate that her parents did not put any complex about her skin colour but she encountered such biases in the film industry. 

"Everybody faces that discrimination, everyone who is dark has, especially in this industry. Like if I do the role of a slum dweller, a rural character, a Malayalam or Bengali film, then it is fine. But the minute you do the role of affluent, educated women they would say, you need to lighten your skin," Nandita Das told PTI.

READ | 'Acting Far Less Demanding Than Direction', Says Nandita Das

"We don't need to be defining ourselves with the colour of our skin, there is a lot more to all of us and we need to explore that," she stated further.

The actor, who has been associated with the campaign 'Dark is Beautiful', says she fails to understand the divide prevailing in society be it for skin colour or religion, especially in a country like India, which is so diverse.

READ | Dream Girl: Fans Declare Ayushmann Khurrana The Next King Of Bollywood

"India does have a lot of shades and we are not celebrating it. We have been hearing 'there is unity in diversity' but we are not practising it. There is so much diversity in terms of religion, skin colour, languages, sexual preference, we are always creating a sense of them and us. I think it is time we celebrate our diversity," Nandita Das said.

Nandita Das says discrimination on the basis of skin colour is the most absurd.

READ | Netflix's Birthday Wish For Radhika Apte Unmissable, Netizens React

"Skin colour is the bare minimum. Why would you want to discriminate? A lot of young women come up to me and say that this campaign has validated the way they feel about themselves. It is a campaign started in 2013 by a Chennai based organisation called 'Women of Worth'. There are so many issues women are fighting, I did not think (the issue of) skin colour needs stand-alone attention. (But) so many people lose their confidence, their self-esteem because of skin colour."

Popular culture helps perpetuates these myths, says Nandita Das pointing out at the images in cinema, hoardings and magazines where models with lighter skin colour are given prominence.

"So, in a country where 90 per cent of people is of dark-skin colour are made to feel that we are not good enough," she says.

READ | #MeToo: Nandita Das Backs The Movement Despite Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Father Jatin Das. Read Her Statement

The actor says it has been a decade since they launched the campaign and they now want to reinvent it.

"We need to stop calling 'dark is beautiful' as we women don't need to be burdened by looking beautiful all the time. We just want to say, whatever may be your colour, be comfortable. And let's celebrate our diversity," Nandita Das says. 

Advertisement

Published September 13th, 2019 at 19:34 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

RCB vs KKR
a few seconds ago
Pooja Vastrakar
a minute ago
Congress Press Conference
21 minutes ago
Crew posters
26 minutes ago
Big Communication Gap Within the Congress: Sanjay Nirupam Targets Party Leadership | EXCLUSIVE
27 minutes ago
VST Tillers Tractors
28 minutes ago
High-net-worth women show a nuanced approach to wealth with interest in alternative investments and cautious risk tolerance.
28 minutes ago
Shreyas Iyer
33 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo