Actress Faced 11 Years of Rejection Over Skin Tone – Recently, the fourth season of the series ‘Panchayat’ was released on Prime Video, and as always, the audience showered it with love. While seasoned actors like Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta and Jitendra Kumar worked their magic, the rest of the characters of the show have also made their mark in every household. Be it Ashok Pathak as ‘Binod’, Chandan Roy as ‘Co-Secretary Vikas’, or Tripti Sahu who played the character of ‘Vikas’ wife Khushboo’ – everyone has won the hearts of the audience. However, Tripti Sahu, who played the character of ‘Khushboo’, has now shared some insights into her life and bitter experiences in the industry, which will melt your heart.
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“I have been facing the pain of rejection for 11 years because of my complexion”
In a digital interview, Tripti Sahu stated that she has been struggling in the industry for the past 11 years and has repeatedly faced rejection due to her dark complexion. She said that she was denied work, saying that she did not look ‘rich’. Think, what a strange logic this is! The saddest thing is that she had to face this discrimination not only in the industry but also in her own home.
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Taunts from relatives and the pain of a 16-year-old girl
Trupti told that not only she, but her mother was also a victim of this racism. She recalled, “It felt terrible at that time, relatives also often taunted. Once I had gone to a wedding, I was cooking food with all the relatives. Just then my uncle came and said- ‘Hey, where have you put her, she has no face and no looks. There are so many fair girls roaming around everywhere, and nothing is happening to them; then who will give them work?’ I was only 16 years old then and cried a lot after listening to them.” Imagine what effect these things would have had on a small girl!
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“She used to get only roles of maid and tribal girl!”
On hearing her uncle’s words, Tripti was so disappointed that she thought she would never be able to succeed as an actor. Her mother explained to her that she had to prove these things wrong. However, when she went for auditions, she was often cast as a maid or a tribal girl.
Trupti said an essential thing: “The problem is that even today, people do not want to explore. Some wealthy girls are not fair. Therefore, the phrase ‘if a girl is rich, then she will be fair’ is incorrect. Casters should think that this mindset should change.” How true! It is entirely wrong to judge someone’s financial status or personality by their colour. According to Tripti, many times good roles slipped out of her hands because of her colour.
The story of Tripti Sahu highlights the deep-seated prevalence of racism in our society and industry. This is not just one person’s pain, but the story of thousands of people who don’t get opportunities or face discrimination just because of their colour. It is hoped that Tripti’s words will prompt both casting directors and audiences to think critically and help change such conservative thinking.