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I'm brown and beautiful. I'm happy in my own skin. I might not have a fair skin like you, but my heart and mind is fair enought to leave you blind.
I’m brown and beautiful. I’m happy in my own skin. I might not have a fair skin like you, but my heart and mind is fair enought to leave you blind.
“The girl is too dark. Ladki saavli hai Rangg thoda feeka hai She is not fair enough. Why don’t you try this fairness cream? Why don’t you try natural treatments? Try this for fairness.”
Every brown girl is tired of listening to such comments from people and sometimes her own family members. Her talents, degrees, certificates, achievements take a back seat when a question is raised on the colour of her skin. She literally has to face those comments from aunties recommending her to try the XYZ cream.
Why? Is my colour the only thing that matters? What about my personality? My achievements? My intelligence? All that doesn’t count? But what if I had a fair face and an empty head? Is that what you are looking for?
I’m brown and I am proud of it. No I don’t want to apply layers of foundation to “look beautiful”. I don’t want to try that cream which says “beauty is only about the fair skin”. I’m comfortable in my skin, but it’s society that is making it difficult for me.
The most challenging part is “marriage” and finding a suitable “match” for a girl who is brown or dark in colour. Who will choose her? She’s talented, she’s educated, she’s smart but she’s a bit dark, they’d say. Even if the guy has pitch black skin, they want a “fair and good looking” wife for him.
I don’t have fair skin but I know how to respect my elders and how to behave. I don’t have a fair skin but I have done great things in life. But sadly, here in India, you get judged first on the colour of your skin, your weight, your looks, and last comes your intelligence.
It is tough to ignore such comments every time. It actually effects the self confidence and shakes the self esteem. Even after being able to achieve so much, all I get judged on is how I look. Even after being able to make through everything, I have to face rejections for the colour of my skin.
I would still not choose to use fairness creams to be fair and rub my skin with chemicals and cosmetics. This is how I look. God made me, just like he made you. If you just judge me on how I look, I pity your small brain.
Image source: YouTube
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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