It seems that Pakistanis, even our celebrities, still have an overtly overboard love affair with ‘fairness creams.’
Celebrities who promote these whitening creams find themselves under the scanner, and rightly so. This time around, popular Pakistani actress Sajal Aly has become the most recent addition to these celebrities. We’re just disappointed that at this point, our celebs still don’t know better.
The Controversy
In a commercial for cosmetics brand Fair & Lovely, the Yakeen Ka Safar actress presents a new product that will make you glow.
Here’s how the voice-over goes:
“Sirf nikhaar hua purana (Simply fair is getting old). Now you’ll get an HD glow.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwP1jy4hzkH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
She explains to the audience that the cream will no longer give fair skin but an ‘HD glow’ as well (sure sounds like a photo filter).
The product is apparently supposed to give you an even more shiny skin glow. The “Before and After pics” show a lighter skinned Sajal (thanks to the wonders of technology more than the cream itself we guess).
Pakistani Twitter is Not Amused
Twitter was quick to slam the Rangreeza star for this ‘gora complex’ propagating advert.
Fans were really disappointed with Saja;’s choice of endorsement.
I am disappointed in sajal for doing that fair and lovely ad,although the ad was for the glow on the skin not fairness but still we all know how fair and lovely has always promoted fairness as the standard of beauty.This is the second time my fav has disappointed me by promoting
— Ken Adems (@chupkarjabhai) April 6, 2019
Sajal Aly in a fair n lovely tvc :/ . We were all rooting for you , how dare you?!
— ⚡ (@chaiaurcake1) April 7, 2019
These Twitterati understand how this emphasis on fairer skin is irresponsible in South Asia. Given that how most of their population have dark complexion (and that doesn’t in anyway take away how beautiful they are), public figures really need to stop promoting these creams.
https://twitter.com/zayndeprived/status/1114177928336691200
This Twitter user has one thing right down to the point. When will Pakistani celebrities understand that colorism or any prejudice is not okay. When will they start denouncing it rather than promoting it?
https://twitter.com/RohaDaud/status/1117792349768306689
Really disappointed in Sajal Aly for choosing to do a Fair and Lovely ad when colorism is an obvious issue in our society.
People with darker skin are given poorer treatment, rejected for marriage, jobs, considered lower-class, etc.
— 🔅 (@pkpopculture) April 6, 2019
Don’t Blame the Consumer, Blame the Culture
In the end its the celebrity’s choice whether or not they chose to propagate a toxic culture for money.
As one British-Pakistani celebrity Jameela Jamil pointed out:
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1112372838919368704?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
Furthermore, she suggests that everyone should be proud of who they are:
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1112743975872417792
Jameela has been vocal on all sorts of products that tend to exacerbate and amplify existing prejudices. She called out the folks who market and sell these products:
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1112397231326261251
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1113236241712021505
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1103026344978407430
There’s a lesson here for our celebrities here. Be proud of who we are, skin color and all instead of trying to be something that we are not.
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