What do you say about a man who is icon, whose sensitive yet impassioned portrayal of the coach of the Indian women’s hockey team inspires them to a World Cup victory and in the process upholds the ideals of patriotism, non-discrimination, and equality but sells Fair and Handsome cream for money?

Chak De India has won Shah Rukh Khan acclaim as possibly his best performance and elevated him to the status of a national hero — almost. Does he need to promote Fair and Handsome cream to further enhance his standing? When the reigning star of Hindi cinema publicly endorses a cream that openly advocates fairness, lightness of skin as desirable nay, necessary, it is a damn bad show. How could he do it? According to one account in The Hindustan Times’ Brunch, Shah Rukh took eight months to agree to brand F&H with his fair (!) name. What overcame his scruples? Money?

Money or no money, he has just reinforced one of the most reprehensible social stigmas in Indian society, one that discriminates on the basis of colour. And no amount of subterfuge or obfuscation can change this: fairness creams, despite claims they are nourishing for healthy, glowing skin, are all about making money and dark people fairer, lighter, paler or whatever other euphemism you prefer. It makes one very angry: grrrrrrr. C’mon, Shah Rukh, chuck the ad.

As we celebrate India’s unity in diversity with Chak De’s Team India, spare a hurrah for TV singing contests. As Sunday Express highlighted, both have a cast of actors and singers from far-flung parts of India. The Northeast is making (sound) waves. After Assam’s

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