Looking at her previous experiences, Priyamani recounted, “Some directors have said to me that they had selected me because I had the ‘South Indian look.’ That remark was really hurtful. Talent and acting should never be discerned by someone’s complexion or origin.”
She went on to point out the larger problem, “Yes, we are from the South, but we are educated in every language. Although we may not have the fair skin complexion common among many of North Indian heroines, I think our beauty stands just as good. It’s really talent that matters, not your skin color. Alas, Bollywood still looks at skin colors and regional orientations while casting.”
Priyamani’s remark struck a chord with many people because this is not a new issue. now that Priyamani has gained visibility with her roles in big-budget high-profile Hindi films like Jawan and Maidaan, we can also see that her remark has generated support across the board online, especially social media. Her comment has created a fresh conversation around color based discrimination in Bollywood and initiated a growing movement, calling for talent to be considered first rather than physical looks, in casting.