Moana is short and sturdy, not tall and dainty. She isn't ‘white as snow’ nor is her hair ‘as bright as spun gold’.
Nope.
Moana is brown like an almond with hair as curly as curly hair should be (no Taylor Swift beach waves for her).
Moana is also a Disney princess.
The makers of Moana wanted their protagonist to be an action heroine. She was thus designed in a way as to make it believable that she could perform the stunts she was made to perform. No ball gowns for her, no sirree. Moana sports comfy short skirts and looks nothing like a pin-up doll.
The idea behind ‘Moana’ is a relatable one.
The makers didn’t want her to look like the near-starved Elsa or Ariel. She is also proudly Polynesian – encouraging the belief that beauty isn’t colour- or body type-specific: beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
I was worried when I heard my three-year-old niece Amaira categorically instruct her mom on how she could design a Frozen-themed birthday party for her. While her birthday is at least nine months away, her wish list also includes changing her hair to look like Elsa’s.
Amaira’s request had me wondering: would her generation also be a victim of the blue-eyes-blonde-hair curse? Will she grow up to witness her friends changing their hair to an awful shade of burnt sugar? Will her acquaintances also decide that blue-coloured lenses for the eyes will make them look like ‘princesses’ and not extra terrestrial creatures?
The Problem With the ‘Older’ Disney
Disney holds a lot of sway in a child's life – which is why it faces so much flak for its characters.
Disney's princesses have always come under scrutiny due to their Barbie-type figures. It has been argued that nobody in real life (without plastic surgery) can have bodies like Cinderella or Jasmine. These princesses end up building unrealistic expectations in young girls, bestowing them with an unhealthy self-image.
Here’s to New Hope!
Angelina Jolie in 2008 had said that she was upset Disney hadn't come up with an African princess yet.
The worry was a valid one.
Of course, Disney has made half-baked efforts before this.
In 2012, they launched a fiery Scottish princess, Merida in the movie Brave. Merida – with her wild curly mane – became an instant favourite, but Disney spoiled all the fun when they decided to glam up Merida to resemble an oversexed teenager. A huge uproar over the same ensued.
Hopefully, Disney will not make the same mistake with Moana.
PS: This new step has us hoping that Disney launches a princess with some desi roots soon. After all, we do have the second largest population in the world (just saying).
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