Where My Tamil Actresses At??

Still of Aishwarya Rajesh, one of the few Tamil-born and raised established Kollywood actresses

Nayanthara, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Aishwarya Rajesh, Anushka Shetty. These are just a few of the many talented actresses that have successfully carved their respective niches in the Tamil film industry. A closer look at the current crop of actresses reveals a stark disconnect between the language that they are required to speak and where they are originally from. That’s right; what I’m saying is that most of the renowned actresses that we have come to admire and cherish aren’t actually from Tamilnadu. Directors and producers in the Tamil film industry have been known to cast a wide range of actresses in their films regardless of their state of origin. This is why actresses such as Tamannah, Kajal Agarwal, and Jyothika are household names in many South Indian households; their careers in Bollywood failed to take off with any reasonable momentum. I truly respect the diversity of representation and talent that has been achieved in Kollywood; it’s extremely important to cast actors and actresses in these films based on their skills and talent. However, is this really what the Tamil directors and producers are valuing when making their casting decisions? 

I can comfortably assure you that this is not the case. Credit to Saimithra Reddy for a detailed yet concise write-up of exposing the disconnects that exist between what’s portrayed on screen and reality. As she proceeds to elaborate further upon, there is an unhealthy obsession with solely depicting actresses with fair, light complexions on the big screen in Kollywood. Rather than valuing inherent talent, directors and producers are looking to cast actresses with fair complexions because they are supposedly more attractive, dainty, and profit-inducing at the end of the day. Unfortunately, most of these complexions are commonly found amongst actresses that hail from the central and northern states of India. If you’re like me and grew up watching Indian soap operas and reality shows on popular television networks such as Zee TV, Sony Tv, and Colors, you may recall the sheer number of advertisements centered around beauty and general feminine hygiene products. Most notably, I can never forget all the different models-turned actresses that starred in the Fair and Lovely commercials. I’m not sure if influential Kollywood industry personnel are thinking about the messages that they are conveying to all the aspiring Tamil-born and raised actresses who tend to possess darker complexions on average. Do they have to undergo beautification procedures and other forms of cosmetic surgery to be able to even secure a “fifteen seconds of fame” moment for themselves? Can’t we just value the talent, natural beauty, and cultural attributes (the fact that they can actually speak the language without having someone botch the dubbing) that the state of TamilNadu naturally produces?

I don’t know when this trend will reverse course, as viewers are now conditioned to anticipate and perceive these lighter complexions and features as more attractive. It has to start with the decisions that are being made by those with the power and reach to provide homegrown Tamil women with legitimate opportunities to showcase their talent. Enough of the barrage of advertisements centered around making your skin more fair and light because that’s what is considered more attractive. Let’s let our Tamil women express their pride and comfort in their own skin and beauty!

If you're interested in reading Saimithra Reddy's article on the representation of Tamil women in Bollywood, click on the link below!

https://tamilculture.com/kollywood-biased-film-industry/