“Making Up” The Myth Of Flawlessness : Critique To Sonam Kapoor’s Article

“THE” leading fashionista of the country, Sonam Kapoor recently wrote for a popular website about body shaming and facing her insecurities. From a dud debut in 2007 to her two recent back to back successive hits, she is all the way every way!

Known little for her personal life, a little more for her movies, slightly more for her outspoken behaviour, and majorly known for her bold fashion sense, Sonam Kapoor, makes heads turn with her external beauty, but claims that she was not born like this. In her recent article, she talks about growing up with flaws and how she gave undue importance to it.

Now in this article where she aims at busting the myth of flawlessness, it is rather painful to highlight the fact that the entire concept of flawlessness being a myth is FLAWED as far as Sonam Kapoor is concerned, and that too, without covering any of our bold statements with even a slightest touch of mascara.

Sonam has unintentionally confused and contradicted herself in a self-written, article that lays down her own experiences.

She writes that during her adolescent days, she was always worried about how she looked. “Itni lambi, itni kaali”, a relative casually let slip at a family gathering. “Shaadi kaun karega?” confirmed that her greatest insecurities were well founded. Does that strike a chord? Yes!

Also Read : Why are Indians obsessed with Fair Skin ?

Doesn’t India still want a “fair and lovely” bride? While we do empathize with Sonam for being another victim of India’s obsession with the fair skin, it is imperative for us to remind her about the brands she endorses.

She has forgotten about L’Oreal Perfect Slim Anti-Cellulite Gel Cream that promises skin which “looks refined in 4 weeks and reduces appearance on ‘orange peel’ skin”. She has forgotten about the “Kauh-lau-sal Kajal” that she is the face of.

She has forgotten that it is this myth of flawlessness that is making her mint as much as Rs. 2.5 crore for each advertisement. That, dear readers, is a mark of abject hypocrisy.

Had she really had intentions of breaking the myth of flawlessness, she would have gone the ‘Kangana Ranaut’ way to refuse to endorse fairness creams. Priyanka Chopra has also openly regretted doing advertisement of fairness creams.

By being the face of these beauty products, she is just reaffirming that a woman needs to be a glam doll to be likeable.

Also Read : These Bollywood Actresses Defy the Stereotypical Notions of Beauty

She mentions being in awe of Aishwarya Rai when she went on a vacation when she was 13. She never really thought she could look like a Bollywood actress. So she is openly claiming that even her idea of “perfection” is fairness and physique. Her brand endorsements etc all prove the contradiction to her own thoughts.

The fact that she hates the pressure of dolling up to be likeable yet she has succumbed to the pressure of society. She has at the end of the day, morphed into any other likeable imagery of a superstar.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being the face of beauty products, as it is a matter of choice. What is wrong is the fact that on one hand she is telling girls to not to give in to these unimportant virtues, and on the other hand, she herself is oiling the machinery that promotes such unworthy virtues.

Now I am really confused as to which side of the table Sonam is on. Probably, she is equally, if not, more confused.

To answer the questions that you have raised at the end of your article: I raise my hand for being called “healthy” by a relative. I raise my hand for being told how to lose weight by a friend. I raise my hand for being told to stay out of the sun so that I don’t get darker. But I also bow my head for having read your article and also keep my head held high for not giving into this hypocrisy. There is nothing wrong with what you have written. These are things that need to be said. But there is everything wrong with the hypocrisy you present.

We are eagerly waiting for the day you will shun all the mascara and possess a de-glam look in a film. That would be when we would see the Sonam you vouch for in your article.

Remember, actions speak louder than words? The only thing mythical about your article is the fact that you are trying to “break” the myth of flawlessness.