Writer-director Urvashi Pathania returns to the short film circuit with ‘SKIN’, set for its US premiere at the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival after debuting at Montreal’s Fantasia Festival. This psychological thriller draws on personal history to examine the corrosive impact of colourism and beauty standards through the story of a young Indian American woman’s visit to a mysterious skin-lightening clinic.
Speaking to Asian Voice, Urvashi’s own experience with skin bleaching led her to make this story which is a tale of two sisters caught in a seductive but dangerous pursuit of transformation. She recalled, “Growing up Indian in America, I was always aware of my skin tone. At nine, one of my mom’s friends told her to start lightening my skin if she wanted me to marry well. My mom tried homemade bleaching creams once, I screamed and cried, and she never did it again but the shame stayed. As a teen, I could buy bleaching creams at any Asian market, and my insecurity grew into a violent desire to tear my body apart and rebuild it whiter. That feeling led to ‘SKIN’.”
On colorism as a deeply rooted issue, Urvashi said, “Colourism is far more universal than we realise, it exists across cultures and countries, yet remains taboo. I hope ‘SKIN’ encourages audiences to share their own experiences, even with those unfamiliar with it, and sparks cross-cultural connections. We’re stronger when we talk about it together.”
Using a mysterious skin-lightening clinic as a metaphor, Urvashi said, “Skin bleaching already feels like sci-fi, almost body horror, especially with increasingly medicalised procedures like glutathione shots and IV treatments. I wanted to push it into a near-future world that reflects how women of colour and white women share beauty insecurities and influence each other. Skin bleaching became the perfect metaphor to explore that.”
Speaking about writing the sisters’ dynamic in ‘SKIN’ to balance emotional intimacy with thriller tension, Urvashi said, “I don’t have sisters, but in South Asian culture, first cousins often feel like siblings, and I drew from that. I wanted their relationship to reflect the way sister’s fight yet have a deep, unconditional love, even from opposing viewpoints. In a way, both sisters are versions of me, I’ve been Kanika, wanting to lighten my skin, and now I’m more like Ria, content in my own skin. I don’t judge that younger version of myself, and that’s the essence of their bond.”
On portraying the “quiet, intimate violence” that often occurs in private spaces, Urvashi said, “We used different lighting stories, making the scariest moment the whitest and brightest, subverting horror’s usual fear of darkness. For the med spa, the front of the house was designed to feel soothing and inviting, while the back was stark, medical, and sterile, creating an ‘oh no’ moment for Kanika. It mirrors real med spas, where a calming facade hides the reality of bodies being altered with needles and machines.”
On casting Sureni Weerasekera and Shreya Navile, Urvashi said, “I knew them as friends, but struggled to find the right sister dynamic until their faces kept coming to mind. We were close to shooting without a cast, so I asked them to send audition tapes overnight, and they nailed it. I didn’t even know Sureni could act, only that she was a great stand-up comedian, but she was brilliant on set. Shreya was equally amazing, sending detailed questions to get into her character’s mind. They work very differently, but each brought a unique magic to the film.”
Asked what she hopes audiences take away, Urvashi said, “Insecurity is universal, and I don’t want to judge anyone for it. The world often rewards fairer skin, so I understand why some choose to lighten theirs. My goal isn’t to tell individuals how to feel, but to challenge the systems that sustain colourism. Many don’t even realise they hold such biases. I hope the film raises awareness, sparks conversation, and brings some joy to those affected by colourism, because I made it for them.”
