Behind Suhana Khan's cover controversy

Having just come back from India, I can assure you that the topic of conversation at most fashion soirees there right now is Suhana Khan. The 18-year-old daughter of Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan is now a household name in her own right after appearing on the cover of Vogue India. Within minutes of posting their brand new cover, social media was up in arms about the magazine's choice of cover personality. One Twitter account asked, "Really don't believe in celebrity bashing, but why is Suhana Khan on the cover of Vogue?" Technically, this is not celebrity bashing because Suhana Khan isn't one - her father is. Another reaction that came from Instagram was, "What are the reasons to get Suhana on the cover or even have an article on her? What are her achievements to get this kind of attention?"
Nepotism isn't a new phenomenon in Bollywood. Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and now Janhvi Kapoor received their first breaks pretty much because of 'who' they were rather than 'how' they acted (though it's useful to remember that we did not see them on the cover of a leading fashion glossy till they had at least signed and completed a film). In Janhvi's case, the curiosity revolved around her being Sridevi's daughter, plus her own dressing style had been under the radar for a few months. She is very active on social media and is often spotted at fashion events. Suhana is relatively unknown, and though she has more than 100,000 followers on her Instagram account, the Vogue feature is truly the first insight into her. The question, however, is: should she have been featured on the cover of such an important fashion magazine? Well, she is Shah Rukh Khan's daughter and though I have never loved Gauri's forced glamazon style, there are many who see her as a style icon. In a nutshell, Suhana has the right pedigree, and because of who she is, India is interested in her. So, that does make a story. But to be on the cover of Vogue signals that you have 'arrived' in the glamour world: how can an 18-year-old girl, who, as the interview states, plans "to build her portfolio that is strong enough to get into a good university" have 'arrived' yet?
The cover itself, with her sitting on a chair wearing an off-shoulder Emilio Pucci dress, may be age-appropriate, but it does not have that 'fashion feel'. I wonder if this was the right image for the cover, especially since some of the pictures inside the magazine do capture her better, like the one where she's wearing an outfit by the Middle East's very own Reem Acra. Also, since she is 18, it may have been interesting to see her in more high street looks.
All I hope is that this cover controversy has not affected this 18-year-old, and that she still has the confidence to follow her dream to be an actor. Nothing should stop a young girl from dreaming! And for many young girls, it's the pages of fashion magazines, such as Vogue, that encourage them to dream big.
sujata@khaleejtimes.com