Someone tweeted on twitter - ‘Thanks to Priyanka
Chopra. Mehwish Hayat made it to CNN.’
Truer words were never spoken. Piggybanking on
Priyanka Chopra’s popularity and stature, Mehwish Hayat made into the same
frame as her; till the news died down.
I heard the name for the first time in connection with
her opinion piece on Priyanka Chopra - 'The Problem with Priyanka Chopra', in
CNN. I browsed through it.
It could as well have been titled ‘The Problem with
India’ and the author could have been anyone from Pakistan. However, as I
learnt Mehwish is a famous actress and activist from Pakistan. She indulged in
disapproving Priyanka’s support for Indian army in her opinion piece.
Her naivete is heart-breaking as she attempts to give
credibility to her opinions, to readers of the world, by stating whatever the
Office of Prime Minister of Pakistan and Pakistan's Human Rights minister
believe and communicate. She whines- ‘India has revoked Jammu and Kashmir
states’ autonomy.’ She talks of impoverished Kashmir.
‘Mehwish. None of your or your country’s business.’
Everyone in the world has responded washing their
hands off this matter citing it as a bilateral issue. And, as a part of the
bilateral dialogue between two nations, it has been time and again declared by
India that Kashmir is an integral part of India.
She takes bullshitting to the next level as she goes
on to talk about the regime which in indulging in activities against the
principles of UN which incidentally her nation respects so much. She mentions
‘Speaking as an artist in Pakistan is not easy’. Wonder why? Why does someone
with so much influence as her has to be so careful in Pakistani regime?
She accuses Priyanka of lending her name to racism and
the Indian regime of being unfair to minorities. In contrast, Mehwish’s
intention is to unite people. She has the utmost concern about the minorities
in India. If she has contributed to the cause of Hindus, Ahmedis, Christians,
Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists and other minorities of Pakistan in anyway, she needs
to update and publish her resume for the perusal of her fans and some readers.
A single message about the abduction and conversion of girls from minority
religions to Islam in Pakistan, which is a regular occurrence, would be
welcome. There is just silence. However, she is very vocal about the well being
of the hockey team of Sindh.
Mehwish believes that there are negative stereotypes
for Pakistan in Bollywood and even Hollywood. Priyanka, who played to a script
which depicted Hindus as terrorists in her show Quantico would be bewildered.
‘What did I do wrong? That should have won every Pakistani, every Islamist
heart’, Priyanka should studiously contemplate and possibly restrategize.
CNN seems to be too invested in criticism of Priyanka
Chopra for her support to Indian army and by extension her support to India.
Another Pakistani writer ‘Rafia Zakaria’ has already bashed Priyanka Chopra for
the same reason. This esteemed citizen of Islamic state of Pakistan was very
concerned about India becoming a Hindu state. Is there a need to explicitly
state the irony here?
There is another petty theory. Pakistan is trying to
induct their ladies into some of these aesthetically appealing UN roles for
visibility and perceived leverage on the world stage. What better than a
harmless pretty face attempting to pull a Princess Diana to further Pakistan’s
agenda? The lady otherwise hardly known outside the Pakistani community used
the opportunity, of Priyanka’s perceived slip, to give herself some traction
which might get her Priyanka’s job of UN Goodwill ambassador, or something
similar.
It might not work. Malala Yousafzai has already
outlived her usefulness in that regard. There are no new messages and no diverse optics to bring to the table
which have not already been milked to the hilt by Malala. Besides, one needs to
be a Priyanka Chopra or an Arundhati Roy or an Amartya Sen to articulate a
credible criticism on India about its multi-fold issues. Pakistan discrediting
India and Indians would always be a wee bit too predictable for the
international community. As a country, it is most unqualified to address
universal human issues. In that light, her attempts seem totally injudicious
and a tad desperate.
However, stranger things have happened. Malala has
visited Japan to lecture a japanese audience on women empowerment. The Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia is a member of United Nations Human Right Council. It might
happen that Mehwish Hayat is declared the sole authority on India and Kashmir;
and be appointed as a UN goodwill ambassador for whatever excuse UN could cook
up.
Note to Priyanka: Na ghar ki na ghaat ki. Is ambition
bigger than your country and your people who have loved and supported you
through everything? What makes you take them for granted? The Islamists hate your
success; and your guts, when you show pride in your country and culture.
Subsequently, Pakistan Human Rights Minister Shireen
Mazari took to writing a letter to UN to have Priyanka Chopra immediately
denotified from her role as a UN goodwill ambassador for Peace. The request was
rejected, and Pakistan was denied even this miniscule gratification.
This letter, however, written by Pakistan Human Rights
Minister to get an actress fired from the role of UN Goodwill Ambassador for
Peace should be framed and displayed prominently in the Hall of Fame for
International Embarrassment.
Afternote: Mehwish Hayat recently accused Bollywood of
plagiarism in wake of Alia Bhatt’s recent music video with Punjabi song Prada.
It bears resemblance to the Pakistani song ‘Gore Rang ka Zamana’. Since I was a
little girl, many many many years ago, I have listened to this song and
multiple versions of it. Is plagiarism even relevant now? Maybe for Mehwish,
Alia Bhatt and the prospect of piggybanking makes it relevant. Maybe Pakistan’s
ministry of Arts and Culture would write a letter to UNESCO.
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