Pakistani actress takes heat from cleric, gives it right on back

January 22, 2011 10:29 PM

Veena Malik, a Pakistani actress, appeared on an Indian reality show, "appeared to cuddle with an Indian actor" and was criticized by a Pakistani cleric. Malik stood her ground: "What is your problem with me? You tell me your problem!" an angry Veena Malik asked the Muslim scholar, who accused her of insulting Islam. At least some people in the country are unimpressed by the criticism of Malik: If there’s something this country’s good at, it’s sanctimonious hypocrisy. Oh by the way, she's said to have broken new ground in the Twittersphere.
posted by ambient2 (20 comments total)

Veena Malik zindabad! इंक़िलाब ज़िन्दाबाद !
posted by nickyskye at 10:38 PM on January 22, 2011 [6 favorites]

Good for her.
posted by Solomon at 11:27 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

How much trouble is she actually in? Is it a tempest in a teacup, a threat to her career prospects, or does she need to start thinking about moving to another country?
posted by Ritchie at 11:39 PM on January 22, 2011

Well, Ritchie, this is the country where a guy who opposed blasphemy laws was murdered not long ago. I admire her courage, but it woldn't be a surprise if it ended badly for her.
posted by rodgerd at 12:08 AM on January 23, 2011

How much trouble is she actually in? Is it a tempest in a teacup, a threat to her career prospects, or does she need to start thinking about moving to another country?

Seeing as how she's got newfound popularity post-Bigg Boss, she'd really have no trouble settling down in India and working there. As for the trouble itself, Malik is pretty popular in Pakistan, so I doubt if one fundamentalist scholar is going to be a whole lot of trouble to an already well-established celebrity.

But then, the Taliban/LeT/LeQ/etc. aren't exactly known for good reasoning.
posted by Senza Volto at 12:34 AM on January 23, 2011

She needs to be all like "Have a baby by me baby, be a millionaire". That would put people all sorts of upside down.
posted by hal_c_on at 12:58 AM on January 23, 2011

ما شاء الله
posted by dougrayrankin at 2:55 AM on January 23, 2011

How much trouble is she actually in? Is it a tempest in a teacup, a threat to her career prospects, or does she need to start thinking about moving to another country?

Well, this happened. Then the killer was widely praised. Few people, even amongst politicians, will speak out against the killing as clerics have warned them to learn from Taseer's mistake.
posted by dougrayrankin at 4:09 AM on January 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

This is how all clerics should be treated.
posted by Decani at 4:10 AM on January 23, 2011 [2 favorites]

from the last link
Veena, former girlfriend of Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif ... .

it's a damn shame that someone who is being called out as advancing the place of women is still at least partially identified through male counterparts.
posted by msconduct at 5:01 AM on January 23, 2011 [8 favorites]

The backlash against the clerics and the inquisitors is coming.
posted by humanfont at 5:08 AM on January 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

Related to dougrayrankin 's links: Some Christians in Pakistan convert fear into safety...

At least 20 to 25 former Christians adopt Islam each week by pledging an oath and signing a green and white document in which they accept Islam as “the most beautiful religion” and promise to “remain in the religion of Islam for the rest of my life, acknowledging that blessings are only from God.”

Human rights advocates say it’s no surprise some of Pakistan’s 3 million Christians are adopting Islam. These are vexing and dangerous days for the country’s religious minorities.

...

An allegation of blasphemy shouted in the streets can, in an instant, whip a crowd into a frenzy and lead to assaults and dubious arrests.

In one recent example, a Shiite Muslim doctor last month was confronted in his Hyderabad office by a pharmaceutical salesman. After telling the supplier he wasn’t interested in buying anything, the salesman persisted, according to local news reports. The doctor tossed the salesman’s business card in a trash bin.

But because the salesman’s name was Muhammad — the same as the Muslim prophet — he complained to religious leaders that tossing his card the garbage was blasphemy.

The doctor was dragged out of his office and beaten by a mob. Then he was arrested by police and charged with blasphemy.

posted by spoobnooble at 6:12 AM on January 23, 2011 [3 favorites]

Holy

Shit

Spoobnooble's story touches a place in my heart that sets off my bullshit meter, as in, Pakistan is bullshit
posted by rebent at 6:42 AM on January 23, 2011

Is there a video of the exchange in question?
posted by rebent at 6:47 AM on January 23, 2011

Is there a video of the exchange in question?

I think this might be it.
posted by memebake at 7:53 AM on January 23, 2011

Is there a video of the exchange in question?

Or this copy, which has more of those wonderful YouTube comments
posted by memebake at 7:56 AM on January 23, 2011

Has anyone found the controversial clip? All I have found are new clips that talk about it without showing it.
posted by roguewraith at 11:37 AM on January 23, 2011

That's brave of her, I wish there was a translated/subtitled one I could watch. "........which has more of those wonderful YouTube comments" - yeah like these. Highest rated on one I clicked on. :/
-"damn her, she did kiss ashmit, liar!"
posted by dabitch at 12:31 PM on January 23, 2011

I think the beginning of this shows some of the controversial stuff.

Okay, I should have asked this earlier, but in the video, she is obviously furious and tearing into the cleric. But does the hand gesture/posture at 1:55 in this clip have any meaning?
posted by dilettante at 2:32 PM on January 24, 2011

The controversy being that she gets a backrub and a friendly over-shoulder hug? Wow. In Swedish Big Brother actual sex happens on a regular basis.
posted by dabitch at 3:40 PM on January 24, 2011