Freida Pinto, the Indian actress who rose to fame in the hit 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire has hit out at cosmetic firm L’Oreal, claiming they lightened her skin colour in a photo they used to promote an eyeshadow range.

Pinto, who became the face of L’Oreal in 2009 says that she specifically excluded products designed to lighten skin colour from her contracts.

L’Oreal denies that they lightened Ms Pinto’s skin for their eyeshadow ad.