If fairness creams are racist then so is hair colour: Uday Chopra

Actor Abhay Deol recently reignited the debate if fairness creams endorsed racism, taking on several of his fraternity for promoting the cosmetic that generates business worth several hundreds of crores every year. Uday Chopra , too, decided to join the debate and was trolled heavily. The actor drew a parallel between hair colour with fairness creams and couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about.

“What is this nonsense with fairness creams. If fairness creams are racist then so is hair color. It’s a personal choice! #NotRacist,” the actor who has had less than a stellar run at the box office tweeted Friday.

What is this nonsense with fairness creams. If fairness creams are racist then so is hair color. It’s a personal choice! #NotRacist

— Uday Chopra (@udaychopra) April 14, 2017

“On fairness creams. If you need to use it, do it. It’s not a race issue, it’s a self esteem issue. Don’t do it if you think you are fine!”

On fairness creams. If you need to use it, do it. It’s not a race issue, it’s a self esteem issue. Don’t do it if you think you are fine!

— Uday Chopra (@udaychopra) April 14, 2017

You can check his entire conversation here.

Abhay called out A-listers such as Shah Rukh Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra, Deepika Padukone, Vidya Balan and Shahid Kapoor for endorsing fairness creams, saying the idea and promise of fair skin reeked of racism.

He posted on his Facebook timeline a number of ad campaigns done by these actors, criticising Bollywood and India’s obsession with fairness..

His posts were in reaction to senior BJP leader and former parliamentarian Tarun Vijay’s racist remarks against “south Indians”. Vijay apologised for the remarks but the damage was done. He and his party came in for a lot of criticism in and outside Parliament for the remarks made during a discussion on Al Jazeera channel.