Entertainment / Mindy Kaling Defends Controversial ELLE Cover

Mindy Kaling Defends Controversial ELLE Cover

Entertainment Jan 19, 2014

by Nidhi Shrivastava

As South Asian women are making a mark in the American popular culture, prominent personalities like Nina Davuluri and Mindy Kaling have become household names in national and international households alike.

Both these well known women have also been subject to controversies this past year, but what has been commendable is the way in which both ladies have handled the situation, with poise and a little humour.

A quirky character in the American version of 'The Office' and the recent 'The Mindy Project,' American actress and well-known author, Mindy Kaling was recently featured on the cover of 'Elle' magazine . While the cover marks a positive step for South Asians in the mainstream, it brought forward a controversial issue, that being the female form and weight.

Staying true to the 'Women in TV' theme in their issue, the magazine also featured 'New Girl' star Zooey Deschanel, 'Parks and Recreation' star Amy Poehler and 'Girls' actress Allison Williams. 34-year-old Kaling who was one of the four themed covers was showcased in black and white unlike the colour covers of the other three ladies and shot as a close up where her figure was not showcased, again unlike the former three 'ladies in TV covers. While this has been criticized by the masses. A possible snub to the race and larger figure women you think? Kaling has been nothing but thrilled with her cover and surprised at the reactions of her critics.

During an interview in the Late Show with David Letterman, Kaling told Letterman, “So I was, for the first time in my career, on the cover of a fashion magazine, which is such an awesome, nice thing…It felt great! I saw the cover, I don't know if you've seen it, but I thought, ‘I look so, like, beautiful,' and I thought, ‘Wow, I've never looked better. I feel like I look like a movie star on it!' She also laughed, “There was a weird reaction which was, 'Does Elle magazine think Mindy's not skinny enough to show her whole body like standing up from head to toe?'

"The sort of implication, what they kept saying was like, 'What Elle, you can't put her big fat body on the magazine? Why because she's just fat and gruesome? Why shouldn't we look at her beautiful fat body? And I was like, 'Okay, people who are trying to defend me. I just feel like they're kind of insulting me!”

Furthermore Kaling jokingly added, “It's black and white. It looks like I died at my most beautiful, "It looks like this is a dead person that they're like, 'How could we have taken her away at so young. If only a million dollars for another second with this.”

In an official statement, Elle told E! News, “Mindy looks sexy, beautiful and chic. We think it is a striking and sophisticated cover and are thrilled to celebrate her in our Women in TV Issue.”

Even though Kaling has handled with controversy with humour, her 'Elle' cover was subject to criticism from many fashion bloggers and websites that were unhappy with Elle’s decision to show only a close-up of the popular South Asian American actress.

Stylelite, for example, told Christian Post, “It would have been a powerful move for 'Elle' to show a full-length shot, especially considering that they've landed in turmoil for failing to do just that with Gabourey Sidibe.”

Another Fashion website, The Gloss writer Julia Sonenshein told The Globe and Mail,“The fact that Kaling is a woman of colour and a woman whose size defies the conventions for actresses are two traits that should never be stripped from her when slender, white woman are allowed to keep their whiteness and bodies.”

Both Mindy Kaling and Nina Davuluri are inspirational figures because not only do they stand for women who have broken the stereotypes, they have also done it with grace. Although Kaling herself is not concerned with the weight issue and has openly joked about it, it clearly indicates that as a society we are still stuck on the 'model' form. Be that as it may, her fans and fashion bloggers immediately took to her defence, noticing the difference in the way Elle intentionally or unintentionally featured her close-up as their cover page.

Tell us what you think of the cover?
_{Source: the globe and mail.com, usmagazine.com, huffingtonpost.com

Photo Credits:

Elle Magazine covers & Featured Pic:CARTER SMITH/ ELLE MAGAZINE

David letterman with Mindy on his shw:CBS}

Nidhi Shrivastava

Author

Nidhi Shrivastava (@shnidhi) is a Ph.D. candidate in the English department at Western University and works as an adjunct professor in at Sacred Heart University. She holds double masters in South Asian Studies and Women's Studies. Her research focuses on Hindi film cinema, censorship, the figure o...

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Mindy Kaling Defends Controversial ELLE Cover

by Nidhi Shrivastava

As South Asian women are making a mark in the American popular culture, prominent personalities like Nina Davuluri and Mindy Kaling have become household names in national and international households alike.

Nidhi Shrivastava

COMMENTS

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