Tamil Actresses Speak Out Against Skin Color Bias in Film Industry

In the Tamil film industry, the issue of colorism and the lack of representation for dark-skinned actresses has been a longstanding concern. This topic resurfaced recently with the casting of fair-skinned Malayali actresses Rajisha Vijayan and Anupama Parameswaran as dark-skinned Tamil women in director Mari Selvaraj's film Bison.

When questioned about this, the filmmaker defended his choices, stating that the selection was based on the actors' willingness to commit to the roles, not their skin color or beauty. However, his response drew further criticism, leading him to later acknowledge the concerns raised.

While some believe that cinema is a free market and language barriers should not restrict art and artists, others argue that Tamil actresses, particularly those with darker complexions, are being marginalized. Director Madhumita points out that the conversation around colorism is not about shaming anyone, but about unlearning the biases shaped by history.

Actress Semmalar Annam, who has appeared in films like Maadathy and Yaathisai, highlights the irony in filmmakers' claims of not finding suitable Tamil actresses. She believes that Tamil actresses are being underestimated, and opportunities are not being created for them, with the assumption that only actresses from the Malayalam industry can pull off strong female characters.

Madhumita herself has faced subtle resistance when casting dark-skinned women in her films, with phrases like "Will this face sell?" being used to justify hesitation. She believes that colorism is not unique to Tamil cinema but is part of a larger South Asian cultural narrative, though she notes a slow shift where audiences are connecting more with authenticity than appearance.

Director Nelson Venkatesan, who has helmed films like DNA and Farhana, opines that actors should be judged solely on their talent, not their skin color. He acknowledges that there was a time when the "fair-skinned or North Indian heroine prototype" was preferred, but this mindset is now fading as films have become more rooted in local stories and characters.

Kannada actress Vijetha Vasist, who is set to make her Tamil debut with Vijay Milton's Gods And Soldiers, shares that the Tamil industry has been more accepting of her natural complexion, unlike the Kannada industry, where she has faced subtle discrimination based on skin color.