The struggle of breaking through shackles of colorism to enter Pakistan’s fashion and entertainment industry has existed for decades. Pakistani actress Amna Ilyas, who has been seen actively raising her voice against the use of fairness creams, has shared a unique message regarding fair complexion.
The recent global outrage in the form of the #BlackLivesMatter movement sparked a debate surrounding colorism in our own backyards. Many celebrities demanded a ban on products that glorify white skin by shaming and disregarding all other skin tones.
Ilyas has worked her way up the fashion and entertainment ladder carrying nothing but her proud and brown skin with relentless talent. Lately, the Saat Din Mohabbat In starlet posted a video on Instagram and shares a strong message to identify your skills and have faith in them instead of fair skin.
The gora (white) complex has been a huge issue in our society since forever- dhoop mein mat jao, kaali ho jao gi (do not go out in sun, your skin will turn dar), thoray besan say moon dho lo tau gori ho jao gi (wash your face with gram flour, you will get whiter).
Fair skin is what makes you beautiful here. Ironically, our nation is caught between Aurat Marches and whitening creams!
Anyhow, in her latest video, Ilyas says, “I am Amna Ilyas. Do you want to know the reason behind my fame?” The model then puts her face in flour and says, “Now my fans will trust me.”
While concluding her video, Ilyas gives a strong message to her fans. She emphasizes the need to identify your skills and be comfortable in your own skin.
You must watch this video!
The actress captioned her post as, “So my dream to have a white skin has finally come true… Happy birthday to me!”
Can one girl bring about a change in the prevailing mindset? It seems as though she can. Especially if she is strong-willed and unwilling to play by the absurd rules.
Moreover, the Pakistani model had previously taken to Instagram to share a beautiful portrait of herself along with the caption, “My dark skin won’t be the reason I fall. No matter the shackles of colonization or the micro-aggressions, I’ll set my goals and achieve them all.”
Just recently, Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan also shared a strong similar message. Suhana bravely opened up about receiving hate comments from social media users over her complexion. And not so long ago, Annie Khalid also slammed our society’s obsession with mocking dark skin color.
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