In a nation obsessed with everything fair and white, fairness cream makers have been minting money preying on people’s insecurities. Suddenly, everything has been linked to a fair and pretty face. Didn’t get a a job? That’s because you’re not fair. Didn’t get the girl? That’s because you’re not fair. Not liked by your colleagues? Get fair skin asap.

While we fuss over fair skin, the people who are cashing in on it are the companies manufacturing these creams. And even though we know that these creams neither make us fair or lovely, we still use them with the hope of a lighter skin tone. Anything and everything from rishtas to jobs are based on skin colours — at least that’s what the ads tell. While the youth of the country is becoming oblivious to such superficial issues, we still have a long way to go before the obsession with being ‘fair’ is a thing of the past.

Even Bollywood celebs have been vocal about such issues. A few years back Kangana refused to endorse a fairness cream and was hugely applauded for it. A newspaper quoted Shekhar Kapur saying, ‘Cosmetic companies are trying to turn India into a nation of Albinos. No dark area on any part of the body. Except maybe our hearts. Got a cream for that?’

Further research ( https://www.cseindia.org/) claims that fairness creams includes Mercury, which is injurious to kidneys. How about a statutory warning ! When you ask the brands, they take refuge in Kotlerian argument of satisfying a demand. Why does their advertising make us feel bad about our skin colour ? Are they not creating demand ?

Well, Fair & Lovely is in the club of Rs.2,000 crore brand by continuously rephrasing , “ Mirror, mirror in the wall, who’s the fairest of them all ?” It is a $200m market for the FMCGs.

India needs to wean it’s people of this fairness crap sooner rather than later. It’s a national obsession next to Pakistan.

( Views expressed are personal)