I’ve noticed this with how some desis judge guys as well as girls. There have been several times when I saw a guy I thought was pretty heinous looking (usually with a beautiful wife), and when I’ve said something about it to my hubby he’s like, “Yeah, but he’s really fair.” 
On the other hand, I’ve noticed that the most beautiful girl out of all my hubby’s cousins (she’s a stunner and also a total sweetheart masha’allah) is also the darkest.
Beauty is not one-dimensional; I don’t understand how a single factor like skin shade can matter so much.