Ulka Gupta recalls crying after being rejected due to ‘only fair kids’ bias: 'I used to beg them to let me audition'

Actor Ulka Gupta discussed her experiences with colourism in the industry, recalling rejections due to her darker skin tone.

Actor Ulka Gupta, best known for playing Manu, the young Rani Lakshmibai, in the television show Jhansi Ki Rani, recently received praise for her performance in The Kerala Story 2. In an interview with India Today, Ulka recalled being rejected for her darker skin tone as a child actor and spoke about how the obsession with fair skin continues to exist in the entertainment industry.

Ulka Gupta recalls being rejected due to her dark skinned as a child.

Ulka Gupta talks about being rejected due to dark skin

Speaking about facing colourism in the industry, Ulka said, “Earlier, when makers used to cast child artists, and I was auditioning for several roles, there would often be a note outside that read, ‘Only fair kids’. The biggest insecurity I had to fight was this. I used to cry after travelling all the way to Andheri and Worli just to get rejected. They would say, ‘We are only casting upmarket kids.’ I used to beg them to at least let me audition or introduce myself.”

She further explained how deeply rooted the obsession with fair skin was in the industry. “There were times when I was not that big a star, but makeup artists would apply a foundation on my face that was two or three shades lighter than my actual skin tone, and I used to feel really disgusted by that. I used to wonder, ‘Am I not enough?’ Why does it have to be like this? I could clearly see there was a shade in the palette that matched my skin tone. So why use something two shades lighter?”

Ulka also revealed that she was often considered “less suitable” for glamorous roles because she did not fit the conventional fair-skinned heroine stereotype that dominated Indian television at the time.

About Ulka Gupta

Ulka made her acting debut with Saat Phere – Saloni Ka Safar in 2006, but rose to fame after portraying the young Rani Lakshmibai in Jhansi Ki Rani in 2009. She later appeared in several television shows, including Khelti Hai Zindagi Aankh Micholi, Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, Banni Chow Home Delivery and Dhruv Tara – Samay Sadi Se Pare, among others.

She has also featured in Telugu films such as Andhra Pori and Rudhramadevi, along with Hindi films including Simmba and The Kerala Story 2.

The actor is now awaiting the release of her upcoming film Rajni Ki Baraat. Directed by Aditya Aman, the film also stars Ashwath Bhatt, Zarina Wahab, Sunita Rajwar and Ishita Singh in key roles. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on May 29.