Complexion

Complexion makes an off-the-road intervention into the fairness cream debate by showcasing the perspective of a dark-skinned man. The film opens with an array of fairness products lined up on a shelf, but they belong to a young man, Rahul. Rahul lives alone. He wakes up in the morning, drives his bike to work, gets done with his office work and comes back straight home. Everything seems pretty much normal, routine, except that he applies a fairness mask each night before bed. Imagine the kind of deep-seated insecurities that Rahul carries every day simply due to social prejudice against a dark complexion.

His insecurities, alienation and loneliness flash through his eyes as he is ignored by his colleagues at work, especially the women who treat him as though he doesn’t exist. The only person who greets him at his workplace is his office-boy who serves him tea and is also dark-skinned.

Days go by the same, but one day, some thing changes - does it mean that Rahul can perhaps finally achieve acceptance?