Every ad, every drama, every film — they tell us something. But for South Asian women, the message they’ve been receiving for decades is as clear as it is cruel: You must look a certain way to be loved, successful, or even seen. That “certain way”? Fair-skinned. Thin. Soft-spoken. Perfectly put together. From Bollywood blockbusters to prime-time soaps, the media has been a mirror that distorts rather than reflects. And the damage it’s doing? It goes far deeper than just vanity. It’s impacting mental health, identity, and how an entire generation of women see themselves. Beauty as a Burden: The Unseen Weight Women Carry Let’s face it — the media’s…