Not like some peripheral, niche market. It's an absolutely *huge* market. Especially in south India, where the skin hues are generally darker than in the north.
This is "Fair and Handsome", the men's version. The spokesman for this product is Shah Rukh Khan, one of the top stars in India, if not the top. He is so famous he now is known simply as SRK. In the commercials, he looks unnaturally white, almost like he is severely ill. At the end of the commercial, a group of women walk up and sing a small ditty called "hi, handsome" - hi, handsome". It's hilarious.
This is a poster for "Fair and Lovely", the women's product. It has an actual "fairness meter" which tells you how dark you are and how light the creme can make you.
In addition to the skin lightening cremes, woman wear long gloves on their arms while driving, and some women carry umbrellas during sunny days (our landlady does this). Oddly, when it's pouring down - no umbrellas.
So, all the white people sit in the sun trying to get darker, and the Indian people try to get lighter in the shade. Grass is greener, I suppose....
