Malaika Arora: We inspire women to accept their skin tone, flaunt it

Turning judge for MTV Supermodel of the Year 2, Malaika Arora on how the reality show reinforces body positivity

The fashion and glamour industries across the world are undergoing sweeping changes to become more inclusive. At such a time, Malaika Arora is glad to step in as judge for the second season of MTV Supermodel of the Year, eager to effect change from the ground-up. While the central theme #UnapologeticallyYou sets the tone of the show, Arora says that as judge, she has tried to boost conversation around inclusivity and body positivity.   

“We have encouraged the girls to be who they are and speak their mind. This time, we have women from worlds that can’t be more far apart—from a trans woman to a cop, to a girl who hails from a patriarchal home and never left the city. We have married women too. We tell the women not to be clones of each other. Aping someone is natural instinct, but what makes you stand out is when you can be your own self,” she says. Arora has passed on the mantra that saw her through her initial modelling days—“Never be an also, be the one”—to the contestants.

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In India, models face several biases, including being stigmatised for their skin colour. Battling the ‘gori ladki’ notion is a constant conversation between the contestants and judges Arora, Milind Soman and Anusha Dandekar. “The idea that white is superior is ingrained in people’s psyche, and the battle against that mentality is a long-drawn one. Growing up in this society has made women believe [that fair is beautiful], but we encourage them to recondition themselves. We constantly inspire women to accept their skin tone and flaunt it.”

While modelling is a thriving career in the West, it is often seen as a stepping stone to Bollywood in India. “I went from being a model to a VJ and thereon. Bollywood, at the end of the day, is an interlinked industry. I don’t see anything wrong in them seeing it as a viable career option. It doesn’t necessarily mean the death of [the modelling] industry.”

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