Akshay Kumar’s debut film Saugandh’s actress Shanthipriya, some time back spoke about the brutal colorism she faced in the Bollywood industry. She opened up about one key incident that became a trigger for her depression and pushed her to leave Bollywood. The actress who appeared in the 1991 film disclosed how Akshay Kumar made fun of her dark complexion in front of everyone, and how that one episode caused her to suffer from melancholy and quit the industry for good.
While recalling the ordeal, she told Navbharat Times, “After working in Saugandh, I worked with Akshay in Ikke Pe Ikka. It was a modern character and I had to wear a short dress. I used to wear stockings with dresses. I remember how Akshay used to make fun of me. We were shooting for the climax scene and because I wore a pair of stockings, my knees were looking darker. Apart from Akshay, Pankaj Dheer, Chandani, Prithvi, Raj Sippy, spot boy, makeup man and other people were also present on the set. There were around 100 people,”
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She further added, “In front of all of them, Akshay said ‘Shanthipriya has got big blood clots on her legs’. He repeated the same many times but I couldn’t understand it. I asked him about the blood clots on my legs and he said ‘look at your knees’. I was taken aback when I heard him. I was shocked and embarrassed. I didn’t know how to react and kept thinking about others. It was very uncomfortable and I kept thinking how could Akshay make such a joke in front of so many people,”
Shanthipriya claims that post this incident, she suffered from depression. She was suffering so much that she decided to quit Bollywood.
Shanthipriya’s dark revelations about the harassment she faced based on her skin color is a wake-up call for the industry. While her story is heartbreaking, it is important to acknowledge her bravery in speaking out and taking a stand against the systemic discrimination that still exists in the industry.
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Not Just Shanthipriya, even Priyanka Chopra spoke about prevalent colorism in the Bollywood industry.
During an interview, Priyanka Chopra spoke, “I was called ‘black cat’, ‘dusky’. I mean, what does ‘dusky’ even mean in a country where we are literally all brown? I thought I was not pretty enough, I believed that I would have to work a lot harder, even though I thought I was probably a little bit more talented than my fellow actors who were lighter skinned.”
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She further added,”Of course, that comes from our colonial past, it’s not even been 100 years since we shed the British Raj, so we still hold on to it, I think. But it is up to our generation to be able to cut those ties and change it so that the next generation doesn’t inherit the equity placed on light skin.”
We hope that these stories will bring about change and inspire others to speak up against such injustices. What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.
