Are face masks becoming a ‘fashion accessory’ more than a necessity? Actors Jay Bhanushali, Aishwarya Sakhuja, Ridhi Dogra share their take

a man in Pune got a gold mask for himself worth Rs 3.5 lakh. With expensive, designer masks flooding the market in the Covid-19 crisis, has it become a fashion accessory more than a basic necessity? We talk to a few celebs to know their take.

Face masks have become an indispensable part of our present life. From stepping out for quick grocery shopping, to even returning back to work, one needs to sport it every single time to protect themselves and others from the spread of Covid-19. No wonder that amid an increased demand, many designers and brands are cashing in on the opportunity, hence flooding the market with expensive, over-the-top masks.

Actors Jay Bhanushali and Ridhi Dogra feel that masks should remain just what they are : basic necessities in today’s time.

So, have such offerings caught the fancy of the celebs yet? The answer surprisingly is no, as the one’s we talked to even denied acknowledging it as a fashion accessory.

“This is a pandemic and a matter of life and death. If we start making this a luxury product, it’s definitely going to harm others. There are masks worth Rs 100-150, and when brands and makers feel there’s a market where they can increase prices and people would still buy, that would be a disadvantage. Nobody wants to buy masks just to look good,” says actor Jay Bhanushali.blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCDW_zIlZln/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">

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I bought these from @nirvana.ink ,not only coz we need em,but its also for a good cause. One can actually wear them throughout the day and not have marks for the face and are very very comfortable. I got khan written on mine,what are you going to write? #masks #safetyfirst #comfortable #safteyfromcorona #nirvanaink #nirvana #reusable #breathable #personalized #soft @meghna_syal_chadha #nevergivein #sanawarians

A post shared by Mohammed Iqbal Khan (@iamiqbalkhan) on Jun 30, 2020 at 1:26am PDT

In fact, many feel that learning to live without too many fancy things and luxuries in life has been a major takeaway from the recent lockdown.

“We don’t even need those surgical masks used in hospitals; we can make cloth ones at home. There’s no end to humans wanting to acquire and possess. It’s got little to do with safety, and more with vanity. Right now, the only thing selling is masks, so manufacturers and designers see an opportunity in that,” says Ridhi Dogra, who wants masks to just remain a basic necessity.

However, not everyone’s on board with the idea. Recently, a man in Pune got himself a mask made of gold worth Rs 3.5 lakh.

Citing it as an example, ctor Iqbal Khan says, “There are people who like wearing a watch worth lakhs, what do you say to them? I personally find all this silly. When it comes to masks, it’s ridiculous. If you want to splurge,there are other options. This is supposed to be taken very seriously.”

Agreeing to it, Bhanushali, too, feels that people who can afford such expensive masks should rather donate that money to the needy.

“People buying luxury masks, they don’t even need to go far... just step out of your house and see your watchman — he might not be wearing even a proper masks and instead just a gamchha — why don’t you help them?,” asks the 35-year-old.

However, actor Aishwarya Sakhuja doesn’t find the issue debateable. “People who have money, they’ll spend however they want to. Who are we to do moral policing? It’s like compassion fatigue. Everything is being made into so many debates, which is unnecessary,” she says.

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