Only fair kids: Actor Ulka Gupta recalls battling colourism in industry as child

Before beginning her acting career in 2006 with the popular Star One show Resham Dankh as a child artiste, Ulka Gupta had little idea that she would go on to emerge as one of television’s most recognised young actors, winning audiences over with her talent and resilience despite facing several challenges along the way. In an exclusive interview with indiatoday.tech, the 29-year-old opened up on the same struggle - what it means to prove herself and at what point does she stand in life right now.

From facing colourism at a young age to proving her talent through powerful performances, the actor says she has carved her own path with resilience, consistency and sheer determination. Gupta is deeply mindful of everything she has witnessed and endured since childhood, especially within an image-conscious industry, on her journey to becoming one of television’s most recognisable faces.

“Earlier, when the makers used to cast child artist, and I was auditioning for several roles, there used to be a note for artists outside which used to read, ‘only fair kids’. The biggest insecurity I had to fight was this. I used to cry because of going all the way to Andheri and Worli just to get rejected. They would say, 'we are only casting upmarket kids.' I used to beg to them, asking them to at least let me give an audition or give my introduction,” the actor said.

After her debut show in 2006, Ulka Gupta appeared in the Zee TV show Saat Phere – Saloni Ka Safar (2009) as Savri Singh. The show, which addressed colourism with sensitivity, gave her the confidence to believe that girls with darker skin tones, too, could be seen, celebrated, and centred as lead protagonists on screen.

The show gave her the confidence to believe that dark-skinned girls could also become leading ladies on television. However, the obsession with fair skin continued to exist in the industry.

Gupta recalled, "There used to be times when I was not that big of a star, but the makeup artistes used to apply a base on my face, and it used to be 2–3 shades brighter than I was, and I used to feel really disgusted about that. I used to feel, 'Am I not enough?' Why do things have to be like this? I used to see that there was a shade that matched my tone on the palette. So why two shades brighter?"

And then there was the issue of looking glamorous. As The Kerala Story actor explained, she was often considered "less suitable" for glamorous roles because she didn't fit the conventional fair-skinned heroine stereotype that dominated Indian television at the time.

After being part of various television shows, the 29-year-old actor expanded her horizons and went on to star in Hindi, Telugu and Marathi films such as Simmba (2018), Andhra Pori (2015) and Odh– The Attraction (2018), among others, gradually establishing herself as a versatile performer across industries.

Her first whiff of fame came with the extensive popularity of the Zee TV show Jhansi Ki Rani (2009), where she played the younger Rani Lakshmibai. The historical drama not only became a massive success but also turned Gupta into a household name. Her fierce portrayal of the warrior queen resonated strongly with audiences.

After being part of the industry for almost two decades, the actor now believes that conversations around beauty standards and representation have slowly started changing. Despite the rejection, self-doubt and constant pressure to fit into a certain image, Gupta said she continued to push forward purely on the basis of her talent and determination.

"I have seen the industry, and you just have to keep auditioning and market yourself right," she concluded.

The actor is now preparing for Rajni Ki Baraat - her next theatrical outing after The Kerala Story, which got mixed reactions from the audience. The film is scheduled for release on May 29.