Classic Indian Beauty

It was a rainy and cold Saturday night when I felt like watching a good old Amitabh movie and after going through the list, I decided on a more romantic one, Silsila . This movie was loosely based on the alleged Amitabh-Rekha affair. But despite some great acting and a poignant story it was a flop.

However, what inspired this blog is not the movie but Rekha. She was at the peak of her career. She had lost some weight which she attributed to Jane Fonda workouts which made her chiseled features and expressive eyes stand out. Added to this were her husky voice, acting skills and perfect diction of Hindi that made her reach dizzying heights professionally. Who can forget her in Umrao Jaan where she even spoke Urdu like a pro!

A beautiful face with expressive eyes is the quintessential classic Indian beauty which you will not just find in Bollywood but all over India. A few years ago a fellow American had asked me why Indian women are not sexy-looking (he worded it respectfully so it was not derogatory). The background for this question was that we had a huge bunch of Indians in our office, no thanks to outsourcing and he being a young guy and still unhitched was constantly on the lookout. His question got me thinking and in a way he was right.

An average Indian woman has a freshly scrubbed beautiful face, deep set huge eyes with hardly any makeup. They are usually petite and have a pear-shaped figure which unfortunately diminishes their sex appeal in Western clothing because the clothes are cut to perfection and proportion. But drape us in a Sari and lo behold! Do we look sexy? The sari plays peek-a-boo with the body accentuating and exposing only the best at certain angles. Added to this with our culture being a little conservative towards exposing skin, those who do have hour-glass figures go unnoticed.

How about some more examples of such beautiful faces from Bollywood through the years –

Madhubala: She started her film career when she was barely 14 and won the hearts and minds of not only all the Indians but also Hollywood. Did you know that she was featured in many American magazines Theatre Arts had an extensive Article on her “The Biggest Star in the World (And She’s Not in Beverly Hills)”. Her captivating looks and her enchanting smile has transcended style, ethnicity and time.

Waheeda Rehman: A graceful dancer and a talented actress with high cheek bones, expressive eyes and a teasing smile!

Sharmila Tagore: Well, not many people would call her a classic Indian beauty. She did not have typical Bengali features with a perfect round face but she had her own appeal with eyes that spoke volumes coupled with dimpled smile. She also had a great slim figure, one of the rare Indian women who could confidently sport a two-piece bikini in those times and looking good too.

Aishwarya Rai, Miss World 1994: She is one actress who has equal and opposite reactions among women. There are intense hate clubs who cannot fathom this flawless creation of God and hate her superfluous beauty and then there are fans besotted by this shockingly perfect woman. I too am torn and confused by her looks. She is too perfect to the point where she comes across sometimes as an overly made up doll. Her giggling persona fills me with disgust but again I wonder if that’s her way of diverting a journalists’ brazen questions. I think she needs a reminder every five minutes that “less is more”.

But if anyone in today’s times were to symbolize classic Indian beauty then it is Vidya Balan. Always criticized by journalists and fellow colleagues in the film industry for being on the heavier side and wearing clothes that only brought out the fact that she was not thin, she has kept her head high and has clinched the best roles and more recently a National Award. She too has a beautiful expressive face with a great acting talent and all I can say is she truly represents an average Indian woman.

Of course, make-up has played a huge role to enhance their beauty since they are professional actresses. But an average Indian woman hardly uses any. Make-up in India usually consists of an occasional moisturizer, pressed powder, kohl liner for the eye or eyeliner and lipstick. I never knew what a primer was until I came to the US. I think it could be lack of commercialization in Indian society until the 90s that I survived this heavy make-up gluttony that we see in the US. However now that India is an open market, the international cosmetic companies with mega advertising budget are changing the mindset of the younger people. The need to look and dress like a Westerner has reached a never before high today but the love for food is equally at its peak. Let’s see what the future generation of Indian women will warp into.

But for now I can still say it is the simplicity and natural looks that adorn Indian women. There is a love for a good life, friendship and lots of food.

Image courtesy: “Indian Woman”

Tags: Aishwarya Rai, Amitabh-Rekha affair, Classic Bollywood beauty, Indian Beauty, Indian woman, Madhubala, Natural looks, Rekha, Sharmila Tagore, Silsila, Size Zero, Umrao Jaan, Vidya Balan, Waheeda Rehman