The show “Wake Up Pakistan” has been criticized for blackface. (Hum TV screenshot)
A Thursday, March 15 segment on a Pakistani show has Twitter users enraged over its use of blackface. “Jago Pakistan Jago,” or “Wake up Pakistan,” hosted by actress Sanam Jung, has been criticized for a challenge that used light-skinned models covered in dark foundation — named “Negro” — to be transformed into “beautiful brides.”
Throughout the challenge, the makeup artists, who could only use one hand, were hindered by interruptions from hosts and the lack of a suitable amount of time to complete the makeover, according to Pakistani Today.
Additionally, racist phrases like Habshi, Habshan, Makrani and Negro were used nonchalantly throughout the episode. And according to Images, Jung told the makeup artists to “Make them dark to get them to look negro.”
Yesterday’s episode of “Jago Pakistan Jago” (Wake up Pakistan) included a segment where participants were tasked with “turning” dark-skinned girls into “beautiful brides”. pic.twitter.com/YSjHCxB9Dc
— BBC Monitoring (@BBCMonitoring) March 16, 2018
Fair-skinned models were painted with makeup to demonstrate how bridal makeup looks on darker skin. pic.twitter.com/WmiHcbMWKP
— BBC Monitoring (@BBCMonitoring) March 16, 2018
In response, many have been unleashing on the way the show used blackface rather than real-life dark-skinned models for the challenge.
“Hey, Pakistani producers — blackface is NOT ok,” one person tweeted. “It’s also not ok to say that applying makeup on dark-skinned people is SO hard.”
“Lack of sensitivity, depth, & education demonstrated by everyone at @Humtvnetwork @SanamJungPK @JagoPakistan_ ,” said another. “Not everyone feels the need for whitening injections. Shaming dark skin isn’t cool. #JagoPakistanJago #SanamJung #HumTV.”
And a separate user wrote, “@SanamJungPK @Humtvnetwork Absolutely appalled with @JagoPakistan_ newest episode where fair-skinned models were painted darker to prove that darker skin can too look beautiful with makeup. Was it too difficult to find models of darker skin?!”
Neither Jung or the network or “Wake up Pakistan” has responded to the public scrutiny.
