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.