Posted:
Social Media has been abuzz today with outrage over Aishwariya Rai featuring in an extremely racist advertisement.
http://scroll.in/article/722272/open-letter-to-aishwarya-rai-bachchan-this-ad-you-figure-in-is-insidiously-racist
To give due credit to Aishwariya she has stated that she merely agreed to a photo shoot. How Kalyan Jewelers used the photo is not under her control
http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/aishwarya-rai-bachchan-responds-to-open-letter-on-racist-ad-757333
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This advertisement by Kalyan Jewelers depicts Aishwariya in a classic pose of white colonial women being served by their colored slaves. The open letter to Aishwariya does point out a similar photo shoot was done by a top Pakistani fashion magazine as well in recent history.
Why are South Asians still hung up on colonial notions that "white" skin is superior? Doesn't it seem ironic that nations trying to shed years of colonial bondage are still hung up on this colonial racist legacy?
Why is it that fashion photographers in the subcontinent are so enamored by this white lady and servant image that they continue to recreate it despite how horribly racist it is? Doesn't it seem ironic that a nation whose citizens were once abused to play these slaves/servants would still cling onto such images in the name of fashion or beauty?
Do you buy Aishwariya Rai's excuse? Shouldn't a supposedly global icon and former Miss World be more conscientious on how people use her image?
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This isn't an opinion of a two bit Freida Pinto but many Indian citizens on social media are genuinely concerned about how she is representing India through this ad. Also Aishwariya is still a Bollywood celebrity.
I hope we can actually have a civilized discussion on the obsession with fairness that still hangs in subcontinental media, without having to be shut down.
Anupamaa
