Random Thoughts And Opinions

Who are the racist? The Indians who cry foul on racism are the leaders in this racism. Shocked by the allegation? Take a look at any of the matrimonial sites or newspapers and you will see people searching for “real fair brides” for their siblings or children. The highest performer in the Indian cosmetic market are fairness products like Fair and Lovely, Garnier Light and others. The list keeps increasing! These companies go as far as to publicize their avertisements which features a dark girl sweeping floors because she can’t succeed in life as she is dark. Promoting these advertisements degrades the already degraded mentality of the people. These commercials are just a reflection of the mentality and the outlook Indians have towards skin complexion. Guess what happens at the end of the commercials-the girl uses their product and she gets a job in a high position! 

The most widely prayed form of deity in India is Krishna who is famous for his dark skin colour and is named Shyam or Krishna because of that. But the people who says Krishna to be the most beautiful kid and the most handsome men as a grown up shuns dark skinned peole specially girls. This ourlook is more common in Northern India. People with dark complexion face discrimination or criticism from an early stage of their school life. One of the most popular daily serials now is in fact one which is based on the story of two sisters-one is dark while the other is fair! Infact supporting dancers in most of the movies nowadays features whote skinned foreigners- I have nothing against people of any country or complexion. The fact that local Indian dancers who use to sizzle the skin earlier has been replaced by dancers with a white complexio just shows wgat the public demands from the director.

 Bipasha may be most demanded actress now in Hindi film industry but she would have real hard to get a groom for herself in the traditional Indian way-after all she is a dusky Indian girl with education, good looks and intelligence but she is not a “real fair” lady. What happened to Shilpa Shetty in the Big Brother’s house was a shameful incident but Shilpa is actually fair according to India standards.We Indians need to get rid of racism from our own society before demanding it from other nations. Only then will the world respect us for what we are irrespective of which complexion we have. Indians have the largest variety in terms of skin colour along with every other things so we need to repsect every Indian inspite of their skin complexion. The first women president of India, Pratibha Patil, is also dark but is successful in every possible way in her life! The way the fairness products are promoted needs to stop- no body has any right to claim that dark people are not worthy or successful. Lastly, I am dark and I sweep the floors of my house at times -but I am also pursuing engineering and consider myself as equally worthy of my batchmates who are fair skinned!

On January 23rd the court overturned a ban on smoking in moves or T.V forced on by Health minister Ramadoss few months before. Lot had been written from both sides of the debate and finally one can puff with glory while the other frowns! The judge said that banning smoking as a whole from movies is violating the creative rights and the right to expression of the entertainers. Also mentioned was the fact that movies reflect realities of life and no matter how undesirable, smoking is a reality of life in the present generation.

I don’t support a harmful thing like smoking but people do smoke till date in public (it has been banned in India).Imagine a movie plot with no suspense or thrill because it raises blood pressure, no parathas because it contains cholesterol, no naughtiness on behalf of child character because children will learn to be naughty and finally a story without any adultery! Well then the movies we have have left can well be said good bye if the Health Minister had his way. He has concentrated more on getting Shahrukh leave smoking then improving the health condition of children in villages or women for the past five years of his term. According to him people often emulate what they watch their favourite actors doing. But Mr. Ramadoss did you emulate what great actors did in their movies while playing politicians of India? Then you may be the evil as politicians are described in movies of India!

Running away from an unwanted part of life or shutting of the future generation from the darker sides of reality by not showing the truth in movies or serials will not help them. Rather banning it will make it more interesting or thrilling to the youngsters who are always craving for some adventure. According to me censorship of any form is nothing but violation of the rights to express one’s views and creativity which is one of the fundamental rights assure to us by our Constitution.

Lastly imagine a night club where the hero and his young friends go to enjoy and there is no smoke but clear screen with not a single glass of wine or even a bar…What a plot!