I don't understand why they need the girl to be "fair". There are plenty of good looking girls that are dark. When will our culture get over its fixation on skin color? I don't think that will ever happen.

its not the culture. but human brain is conditioned that fair is better. personally i know its not good to differentiate based on color, but given a choice to chose between a fair one and dark one, i will always go for fair one. Sorry, but black can never be beautiful.

Not true.
Its definitely culture.
I point out to the islands, i forget where,but after Baywatch premiered anorexia went up from 0-90%(or something). Before that having a fat body was ideal and afterwards skinny bodies..so u see the picture.
In India most people don't look like the Arab/Persian mixes that they have in Bollywood. So its presenting an unattainable ideal.Kinda like porno dudes having 10inch. dicks..its not normal.
anyway its ok to each his own..don't let n e 1 get to you and put you down cuz you don't fit his/her ideal.

Take things easy.

This world is one big "maaya", what to talk about colors!!!

Read "Supreme Yoga"
http://www.vedicbooks.net/the-supreme-yoga-yoga-vasistha-p-546.html