Indian actor Sheena Chohan has joined the cast of Unfair, a short film about “colourism”, to be directed by Anam Biswas, the director of the box office hit Debi (2018).
Sheena previously played the lead in seven feature films, three of which were helmed by national award-winning directors. Sheena was nominated for Best Actress at the Shanghai and Dubai Film Festivals for Farooki’s Ant Story (2013).
Anam won a National Film Award for writing the script of Amitabh Reza’s Aynabaji (2016).
Unfair is written by British screenwriter Fraser Scott, who recently hit the headlines when Shekhar Kapur announced his script about a female Dalit auto-rickshaw driver in Kerala.
The 15 minute film follows Sheena’s struggles to brighten her skin tone to land a modelling career in Dhaka.
“These stereotypes need to change,” Sheena said about colourism. “In South Asia, we still believe strongly in fairness creams and show adverts where people don’t get jobs because of their complexion, where every matrimonial advert demands a fair bride or groom, and the colour bias is so strong. Our society has a deep-seated problem with dark skin, which also has deep roots in our caste system. It is really sad that dark skin is still marginalized, and this discrimination happens even today.”
Sheena said she was very keen on doing more international work when this opportunity presented itself.
“I am extremely fond of Anam’s work,” she said. “This is a very prestigious project and the part is very challenging, so I’m very happy and feel grateful that I was cast for this.”
Anam also pitched in on the importance of this issue in South Asia.
“What really triggered me about the story is the raw truth - the shade of your skin still plays a role in parts of the world.”
About collaborating with the Indian actor, he said: “Sheena Chohan is a brilliant actor. She is courageous and ready to go deep into the character. This story seems like the perfect playground for an artist like her – the role demands versatile and subtle portrayal of emotions.”
The Debi director also informed that writer Fraser Scott’s last script was sold to a production company that was nominated for three Oscars. So, he has high hopes from this production.
The week long shoot will take place at the end of 2019.
