Esha Gupta On Facing Colourism In Bollywood: They Told Me Black Skin Tone Can Only Be Sexy Or Negative

Esha Gupta, a former pageant winner and model, made her debut in Bollywood with Emraan Hashmi-starrer Jannat 2 in 2012 and went on to star in films like Raaz 3D, Humshakals, Rustom, Commando 2, Total Dhamaal amongst others.

In a recent interview with an entertainment portal, Esha opened up about facing colourism during her early days in the industry. She recalled how some actors with whom she never even worked with, would advise her to appear fairer with the help of makeup.

Esha told Bollywood Hungama, "I remember, initially, when I came, there were some actors who I've not even worked with... But they met me and said, 'Tu apna makeup thoda kaala karti hai, gora kiya kar (Your makeup is very dark, you should make it fairer)', and I was like, 'Dude, what?'"

The actress also revealed that back then, makeup artists would deliberately try to mask her dark complexion. She also said that she was typecast as the sexy one because of her complexion.

"There were also makeup artists who'd try to make me fair always, and then they had to paint my whole body, because my body doesn't match my face. So suddenly I'm looking like a clown. I've done two multi-starrers, and they told me, 'You're the sexy one', because black, the skin tone that I have, which is considered black in our country, that can only be sexy or negative, and fair skin has to be the girl next door and sharif (honest)," Esha told the entertainment portal. The actress further said that she wishes that this changes soon.

Workwise, Esha will next be seen in Soumik Sen's thriller web series Naqab co-starring Mallika Sherawat and Gautam Rhode.