Source: digitaljournal.com

Islamabad  – Since her performance in the Indian TV reality show Bigg Boss was made controversial, actress Veena Malik’s personality has been targeted further by a vulgar SMS campaign. And there seem to be more than one reason at work in targeting the celebrity.

After criticism from some media sources and a group of select clerics and showbiz people, the persecution of actress Veena Malik has taken the form of vulgar text messages that are being propagated against her for about a week. Unlike the criticism on media where Veena is invited to defend herself, which she does in a mouth-bashing manner, this practice of circulating vulgar sms against the actress is a more virulent way of putting the celebrity to moral torture. Since Veena has done nothing unusual, nothing that previously wasn’t part of the ‘moral code’ of Pakistani showbiz industry, the question “Why Veena?” is indeed knocking at my mind’s door. Why Veena indeed?

One reason, and a major one to say, behind her persecution seems to be jealousy. Big Boss is considered one of the most popular Indian TV show, with an audience of millions across the country and abroad. Veena is the first Pakistani actress to remain on Indian TV screen and in Indian news outlets for a good three months. It is no surprise then to get a reaction from the Pakistani celebs and people who consider India as an enemy state. Some Pakistani actresses claim to have rejected Indian film offers out of patriotism and commitment o their own film industry. Quite a few have acted in India in the past 20 years but hardly won any recognition. With the amount of publicity bagged by Veena, fame-starved people in Pakistan’s lackluster showbiz industry were bound to have grievances. As Veena reminded the famous film producer Syed Noor during a discussion on the TV channel Express News, Pakistani showbiz people are now cashing Veena’s reputation by putting her conduct to question.

Next big question, related to the issue, is why Pakistani media (only some of it in fact) seems so much inclined to make the objections over Veena’s allegedly shameful behavior in Bigg Boss 4 as something having weight. Maybe because she is a woman. This is what Veena questioned in great resentment on the show on Express News. Interestingly, her point seems to be worth counting when the media’s manner of covering the love/marriage affair of Pakistani cricket player Shoab Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza is recalled. The story, a real-life, off-screen drama taking place last year, had several infamous sides to it. But on Pakistani channels, it was practically celebrated to have a Pakistani cricketer get an Indian bride – in other words, a Pakistani man “winning” an Indian woman. But when it comes to Veena’s case, it was a Pakistani woman with an Indian man, even if on screen. No tolerance here!

For the media, any controversy works. In a dead showbiz industry, like that of Pakistan, an actress’s exposure through one of the most famous reality shows in a politically rival country is more than enough to attract a good deal of attention. Larger audience, more adverts, and more money – media’s tried route of cashing issues. Naturally, one can see that presenting issues in a sensational, controversial manner by the added flavor of patriotism and sociocultural identity (if there is such a thing), one particularly customized for the second sex, pays. Controlling a woman’s sexuality and behavior has traditionally been the core interest of the Indian subcontinent’s culture. In Pakistan, where religious fundamentalism has been preserved for use at times like these, being a woman and claiming equal rights is still an uproarious issue. In case of Veena Malik, what we are seeing is not different. And she is conscious to it.

The worst part of it all is not just that the society’s sick minds are getting exposure by targeting an actress who did nothing unusual that her predecessors hadn’t done on screen before. The tragedy is that in targeting Veena’s personality, the media is effectively avoiding the coverage of other burning issues that are really ruining the country’s name. Searching on the web for Pakistan’s bad reputation and the top Google search results point to corruption, fundamentalism, terrorism, and sports (match-fixing in cricket). There’s no Veena Malik there!

In a recent newspaper post, freelance writer Kamila Hyat rightly reminds Veena Malik’s critics that there are a million times more important, more serious issues that are undermining the sense of security and justice in this country. And she names those horrific issues. Isn’t it a disservice to the nation then to beat about the bush and leave the wounds untouched? Why Veena when there is so much happening all around? It will be a great shift breaking through the inertia of sickness if the liberals start sending sms calling for a more responsible role from the media.

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