Earlier yesterday, the trailer of upcoming film Bala got us all pumped and excited to see Ayushmann Khurrana address the untouched issue of male pattern baldness.
But there was this one problematic issue that has stuck with netizens.
It was the portrayal of Bhumi Pednekar’s ‘fake’ dusky skin tone and the whole concept of a ‘brownface’.
Main hun Mr. Bald ki dost, Ms. Bold!
— bhumi pednekar (@bhumipednekar) October 10, 2019
Miliye mujhse, jald hi.😉#Bala trailer out at 12 noon!#DineshVijan @amarkaushik @ayushmannk @yamigautam @saurabhshukla_s @jaavedjaaferi #SeemaPahwa @nowitsabhi @SachinJigarLive @sonymusicindia @JioCinema @jiostudios pic.twitter.com/TBSCA3caAt
This issue of colourism has raged a fire among netizens as they’re debating over the concept of ‘brownface’.
if only there were any actors in this country with darker skin… if only.#BrownFace #Bala pic.twitter.com/baks9OaeFw
— Karnika (@KarnikaKohli) October 10, 2019
GET DARK SKINNED ACTRESSES TO PLAY DARK SKINNED ROLES. @JioCinema
— @Tayloracrave (@TobiramasSenju) October 10, 2019
So bollywood is trying to make a statement about India’s obsession with fair skin by casting a fair skin woman to play a darker one?
— Ekta Chauhan (@ekta2993) October 10, 2019
Also! My God that makeup is bad! No dark person looks like that! They are beautiful
I’m so sorry but this dark makeup.. is so wrong. Cast dark skinned actor if it’s important for story.. but don’t do like this..
— ми-ℓ 🌵 (@miraclelife25) October 10, 2019
Is it that hard to get a dark-skinned actress for a dark-skinned role??
— Angeli🌹🌹 (@angeli_y) October 10, 2019
WE WANT TO SEE DARK SKINNED ACTRESSES FOR DARK SKINNED ROLES !!!
— aayu • fan account (@zaynhq_) October 10, 2019
Dear bsdk Bollywood,
— Wellलू (@Wellutwt) October 11, 2019
Why did you have to paint bhumi’s face brown, Is there lack of brown girls in India!? Or dark skinned Women / artists who can do a better job,Wait afterall this is just Bollywood ! 😓
What can you expect😍 #Bala
Dear Bollywood, painting your face brown to play dark-skinned people is NOT ok!
— Shilpa Kannan⚡️ (@shilpakannan) October 10, 2019
Hrithik Roshan in #Super30 Super30 and now Bhumi Pednekar in #Bala! https://t.co/AAV6JwoL9C
Yeah cus having a dark complexion and talent is unheard of?
— nush (@anooosher) October 10, 2019
Unfortunately it’s a two way sword for the makers. If they’d cast an actor just for the skin color, it would show them in bad light
— Biswajit Das (@BadassBisD) October 10, 2019
So with the current situation
we should get actresses who actually have dark skin to play the role but you guys are not ready for that conversation fr ✊🏻😌✨
— alia (@dixtinct) October 10, 2019
Do you not realize how awful this is, or do you not care?!
— J/Jay || AceFeminist 🌻💜🌷 (@AceFeminist) October 10, 2019
How many of you saw the trailer of Bala starring Ayushman Khurana? Why does Bhoomi looks the way she does? She's not dark skinned like she's shown??? Why didn't they hire an actress who was naturally highly pigmented???? Is my dark skin a joke to bollywood?
— Arya (@Arya_fanfics) October 10, 2019
What the hell is that makeup?
— shiv vijay k (@shivvijayk) October 10, 2019
Also why does Bollywood keep casting fair skinned actors and paint their faces dark? And then give the msg that fair skin is not everything?
This is nothing less than disturbing to me. As a dark skinned woman, it really saddens me that you can’t even cast a person with brown complexion for a role that requires dark complexion.
— Peachu (@Heartwormss) October 10, 2019
No dusky actors left in Bollywood kya? Brown face kar kar ke bhaga diya sabko? LOL. For a film talking about looks, this is so bloody shallow.
— Ritambhara Agrawal (@RitambharaA) October 10, 2019
Y’all are either constantly endorsing fairness creams or putting on tons of dark makeup to make some dumb point there’s no in between. When will yall learn that there are real living dark skinned girls who’re pretty af and mich better suited for roles like this
— ಠ_ಠ 🏳️🌈💜 | haikyuu 2020 (@ARavenclaw28) October 11, 2019
when will they ever learn? pic.twitter.com/5WEAkmpRWf
— Sнαzє (@shaznaFO) October 10, 2019
Folks, this is not the first time Bollywood has pulled off a case of the ‘brownface’.
