At the time when actors are opting out of fairness cream ads and initiating debates on the inherent racism these ads propagate, actress Yami Gautam, who happens to be the face of Fair & Lovely, insisted that there’s nothing wrong in endorsing them.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, she said, “When we talk about individuality and choice, it’s my life, my decisions… why question my credibility? I am a self-made girl. I will not run my career on somebody else’s decision or ideology. I have my own mind.”
She also added that not being fair isn’t an “upsetting thing”.
“The brand has the right to advertise a product, but you cannot show that not being fair is an upsetting thing. You can advertise your brand but showing that not being fair is something to be upset and sad about is not correct.”
Incidentally, several ads of the brand she endorses, show a slightly dark-skinned girl upset with her complexion.
Recently, actor Abhay Deol called out Bollywood’s obsession with fair skin, and actors and actresses who endorse fairness creams. In a series of posts on social media, he put up screenshots of actors/actresses in fairness cream commercials. Deol’s action came on the heels of the recent racist attacks on Nigerian people in New Delhi, and Tarun Vijay’s remarks on South Indians.
Since then, actors like Rajkummar Rao have vowed to never endorse such brands. “I’ll never endorse a fairness cream no matter how much money I am offered,” he said in an interview recently.
Meanwhile, there have also been others like Uday Chopra, who continue to insist that there’s nothing racist about fairness creams: “What is this nonsense with fairness creams. If fairness creams are racist then so is hair color. It’s a personal choice!” he said.
