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TopicFairness creams

Topic: fairness creams

Dabur Fem’s ad plays on fairness obsession. But it got Indians talking about LGBTQ at least

Dabur Fem's Karva Chauth ad might be rainbow-packaged conservatism. But chatter on LGBTQ+ community is key.

Before Fair & Lovely, there was Afghan Snow ⁠— all about the fairness creams market in India

The fairness cream industry has a long and prosperous history in India, and was estimated to touch Rs 5,000 crore by 2023, until the Black Lives Matter movement hit this year.

Dropping ‘Fair’ from Fair & Lovely won’t erase Indian racism

Johnsons & Johnsons, Hindustan Unilever, and even Shaadi.com, are introspecting their contribution to racism. But re-branding products is not enough.

Army against ‘soldiers’ endorsing pan masala or fairness cream, will vet ads before release

Worried about negative portrayal, Indian Army will now scan all advertisements showing actors in the uniform, and take strong note if any violation is spotted.

Billie razor’s ‘real body hair’ ad is insidious, harmful and exploitative

The ad manages to package and sell the fickle and ephemeral idea of choice to women.

Indian men are swapping ‘tall, dark and handsome’ for ‘tall, fair and debonair’

Men in India have been buying more fairness products, because of which the bleaching cream market in India alone has an annual growth rate of 18%. 

On Camera

Alfred Cooke is the Bull who cooked the PAF’s goose. He deserved more than a Vir Chakra

On 18 September 2026, Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke passed away aged 87, a day before No. 14 Squadron, the Bulls, was to celebrate its Platinum Jubilee.

Tiruppur’s success runs on cheap cotton. India needs to ask who pays for it

Repeated changes in cotton import duty have prioritised textile competitiveness when mills face high input costs. But policy can also put pressure on farmgate prices.

At Tejas trainer handover, Rajnath warns delays can lead to ‘technology obsoletion’

HAL finally closes 2010 Tejas order but work remains on Mk1A and the first delivery is unlikely before IAF chief retires end of October.

Bangladesh isn’t a mirror image of Pakistan. Hyphenating them undermines India’s strategic interests

India is caught in a trap of its own making. While BJP may find it convenient to play on insecurities, it gives Pakistan and Bangladesh leverage.