Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Bala is facing a lot of controversies ever since the makers released its teaser and then the trailer. There is an uncanny resemblance in the storyline with Abhishek Mangat’s film Ujda Chaman where Ayushmann is seen in the same bald avatar as Sunny Singh in the latter film. Apparently, there is a going to be a legal case between the two films. However, another controversy has been added to the list and it is about Bhumi Pednekar’s character which has not gone down too well with the audience.
The trailer of the film is quirky and hilarious but many are miffed at Bhumi’s visibly altered complexion, appearing darker that her natural skin tone which has angered the netizens to no end. The audience is pissed at the fact that the makers could not rope in a naturally dark-complexioned actress but had to resort to an actress with an unnatural brown face that reeks of sexism. Check out some of the reactions below:
if only there were any actors in this country with darker skin... if only.#BrownFace #Bala pic.twitter.com/baks9OaeFw
— Karnika (@KarnikaKohli) October 10, 2019
Why is Bhumi Pednekar's face covered in soot?
— Anantika Mehra (@AnantikaMehra) October 10, 2019
would it kill them to cast an actual dark-skinned person just once -- ONCE -- instead of dipping their actor's faces in soot?
— Nikita Deshpande (@deepblueruin) October 10, 2019
This poster is soo weird
and why Bhumi Pednekar when we have Konkona Sen Sharma, Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra and many more bollywood actresses with dusky complextion https://t.co/uk2I2M4sW0— iα (@ShadySGian) October 10, 2019
So Bala is about a man who suffers from hair loss, who is played by Ayushman, and a dark skinned girl who gets mocked because of that. However, instead of maybe hiring a real dark skinned actress they just cast Bhumi and further darken her face. Ironic, to say the least pic.twitter.com/IH9ImpPbyq
— lost soul (@theClaiire) October 10, 2019
Dear bsdk Bollywood,
Why did you have to paint bhumi’s face brown, Is there lack of brown girls in India!? Or dark skinned Women / artists who can do a better job,Wait afterall this is just Bollywood !
What can you expect #Bala— Well (@Wellutwt) October 11, 2019
Just saw Bala trailer. Why couldn't they just use a dark skinned actress than putting black makeup on fair skinned Bhumi?
— Rabi Agrawal (@RabiAgrawal) October 10, 2019
This is not the first time that Bollywood’s apparently wrong casting has miffed the netizens. Previously Hrithik Roshan was made much darker to play Anand Kumar in his biopic Super 30 that too with a very fake Bihari accent.
Bala also stars Yami Gautam. It is directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan. It is scheduled to release on November 7.
Watch the trailer here:
(Source: Twitter)
