Business of beauty

I don’t envy Deepika Padukone this week. De-spite being India’s biggest female celebrity at the moment, the beautiful movie star is being widely panned for her newly launched beauty line. Padukone launched 82°E, an Indian-owned and -made self-care brand, named after the longitude that runs through India “and shapes our relationship with the rest of the world”, she says.

- NAMRATA ZAKARIA

The news of celebrity merch launches is usually met with much fanfare. Fans welcome the products almost as if stars have made them in their kitchens themselves. But Padukone’s two products were widely denounced by her followers for being too expensive and well out of reach for most Indians. It is hardly a criticism; Padukone and her partners are free to choose their price points and target markets. But perhaps fans have had enough of celebrities pushing stuffon them.