Yami Gautam, the model-turned-actress, who shot to fame with the Hindi film “Vicky Donor”, has been trending on Twitter for two consecutive days as people poked fun at her fairness.

Yami endorses Hindustan Unilver’s fairness cream brand Fair&Lovely .

The actress was at the receiving end of uncharitable comments on the micro-blogging site, as she was called CFL bulb, snow, white bloodcells etc.

One tweet said “Doctors are recommending kids to stare at Yami Gautam pics to prevent vitamin D deficiency in them.” @Vighrane01 said “Yami Gautam is the Dean of ‘Fair and Lovely Professional University’”.

The same tweeple also said, “Everything is Yami Gautam in love and war. Ab Ki baar Modi Sarkaar.” Mysterious Eyes! @n_i_s_h tweeted, after Rani Mukherji’s Black, they are planning to produce a movie starring Yami gautam! GPL Queen @GPL poked fun saying “Guys you can stop using Fair & Handsome. Apply Yami Gautam instead.”

Another tweet said “Abdul Kalam was so poor that he used to study under Yami Gautam (read street-light).” Another tweet read “Life is never Yami Gautam (read fair)…”

What triggered the sudden anti-Yami reaction is not known. She was not available for a comment. HUL had roped in Yami as their Fair&Lovely brand ambassador last year.

While the company calls the cream as a “skin lightening cream”, its advertisements on television tell a different story all together where the company shows a ‘dusky’ girl lacking confidence, but ready to conquer the world after using Fair&Lovely.

The company has also gone a step ahead of all other brands in the ₹2,700 crore fairness segment by throwing an open challenge of ₹5 crore to anyone who is not satisfied in just a week. However, these marketing strategies have not helped the company boost sales as the charm for fairness cream is fading away.

Nandita Das’ Anti-Fairness Product Campaign

Last year actress and social worker Nandita Das had launched an online movement against fairness products with ‘Stay Unfair, Stay Beautiful’. The campaign was endorsed not only by common people in large numbers but top actors like Shah Rukh Khan too, who came out in full support for Das. Ironically, the superstar endorses Emami Group's Fair and Handsome whitening cream. He was also at the receiving end for endorsing fairness.

To this Nandita Das had filed a public petition asking Emami to take down the Fair and Handsome ad and to also focus on promoting healthy skin. It also asked Shah Rukh Khan to promote responsible advertising. However, SRK continues to be the face of the fairness brand. Emami did not respond to a query on the petition.

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