It’s not seldom when we hear about celebrities making shrewd comments or blurting out inappropriate remarks about social issues. But this particular incident really took the ‘whoa!’ out of me. Actress Zaira Wasim, who was seen playing the unforgettable role of young Geeta Phogat in action-drama Dangal, recently underwent an instance of cyber-backlash forcing the actress to post an apology soon after.
The gist of the controversy
The entire incident started when the Dangal actress uploaded a photo with Mehbooba Mufti, the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir. The actress was invited by the CM for praising her work in the movie, Dangal.
Little did she know, that photo upload on Facebook gathered a serious backlash from people and Wasim was forced to post an apology soon after. Although, she deleted the apology soon after and, requested the people to not consider it ‘forced’ and blow it out of proportion.
The apology for being an achiever
Most of the above story is still understandable to Indians who are aware of the incomprehensible state of affairs in Kashmir. But here’s the crux, while Zaira posted an apology for uploading a picture with the CM of her state, she also uploaded a message.
As sad as it was to even read the apology of a 16-year-old’s upload on Facebook, what was even sadder was that she apologized for even being who she is.
One of the lines on the apology letter read as, “I want to make it very clear that I do not want anyone to follow in my footsteps or even consider me as a role model. I’m not proud of what I’m doing and I want everyone, especially the Youth to know that there are real role models out there whether they be in this time or in our history”.
How appalling is that a teenage girl who has probably done her town, her state and her nation proud has to be apologetic for being who she is!
What have we come to?
Seriously, what have we come to? Is this really the way our children should be growing up? Being apologetic for actually exhibiting talent?
The Facebook trolling that ultimately made Zaira post an apology not only comprised of people hating on her meeting with the CM but also for acting in a movie. I mean, WHATTT THE GIANT…?? My 69-year-old grandmother never attended a day of school and even she applauded Zaira’s performance in Dangal.
So these faceless losers on the internet have so much power that they can make a girl terrify of her own achievements. Zaira’s actions explain a lot about the backdrop she’s from.
Kashmir is notoriously famous for being full of the orthodox Islamists who are stuck on false implications of the religion’s teachings and halt the growth of society.
This incident is a shocking reminder of the 2013 controversy over the all-female Kashmiri rock band Pragash. If appalls me to see, how even 4 years after the girls disbanding due to death and rape threats for allegedly breaking ‘codes of Islam’, there’s no change in the staunch and obtuse mentality of such people. Come to think of what, how exactly is that mentality going to change?
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