50 Shades of Modi Ji’: Debate erupts over PM’s skin tone in Tamil Nadu

“This is racism… a racial divide between the North and South…”—social media has seen widespread backlash over the perceived change in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s skin tone during his campaign appearances for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Critics have claimed that Modi appeared darker in tone during events in Tamil Nadu, suggesting that it could be the result of deliberate makeup as part of a campaign strategy. The debate has gained traction online under the phrase “50 Shades of Modi Ji,” with many arguing that the look may have been intentionally adopted to appear closer to South Indian audiences. Some have described it as politically motivated styling.

The controversy has largely played out on platforms like X and Instagram, where users shared videos and images from Modi’s rallies. Some questioned whether bronzer or darker makeup had been used to connect with local populations, while others argued that such portrayals could be offensive, with a section of users calling it an insult to Dravidian identity.

Several commentators suggested that if the appearance was intentional, it risked trivialising or mocking the naturally darker skin tones common among people in southern India. In this context, remarks made in 2017 by BJP leader Tarun Vijay resurfaced in the debate. At the time, he had argued that India could not be considered racist because people from different regions, including those with darker skin tones, lived together. His comments, made during an interview with Al Jazeera while defending India against allegations of racism following attacks on African nationals, had themselves drawn criticism.

Some users also drew parallels to Modi’s previous campaign in West Bengal, where he had grown a beard, with critics then suggesting it was an attempt to resemble Rabindranath Tagore.

Additionally, past remarks by Modi related to skin colour during a presidential election were brought up again. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had earlier criticised those comments, stating that political support should not be based on skin colour and describing such references as irrelevant and overtly racial.

At the same time, some observers urged caution, suggesting that the perceived change in Modi’s appearance could be due to factors like harsh sunlight or variations in camera lighting, rather than intentional makeup.