Naked Veena, burning Raja

By
anjum
-
36
296

What got our attention and what didn’t

Unfortunately for most of us in Pakistan, our ideals of heroes have changed drastically. When a country of more than 180 million people is moved more by a naked Veena, than a burning Raja Khan outside the parliament, you know something is seriously wrong somewhere. For me though, I’ve had enough of nudity for the last few weeks.

First there was Alia Mahdi, the Egyptian girl who posted a nude picture of herself, ‘self shot’ wearing nothing but red ballet pumps, stockings, one foot resting on a stool and a red rosette in her hair. In a normal setting, this would have easily passed for paedophiliac erotica, but when you add some well articulated rhetoric about women rights, freedom of expression, liberty, liberalism, countering the threat of a regressive Islamist mindset, what could have easily passed for vintage erotica magically transforms into something revolutionary.

There are certain regressive tendencies in our flawed perception of the scenario. The picture troubled me for quite some time: it compelled me to question a belief system that we hold very close to ourselves. I wondered, if in that situation, if in the name of liberty, if in what is being termed ‘defiance’, a slap on the face of oppressors of women, the act of posting a nude picture was truly revolutionary.

Commodification. The same champions of liberty and freedom of rights, champions of liberalism, use this word time and time again, the commodification of religion, the commodification of sexuality, the commodification of education. It all makes sense. Commodification of objects we hold close to ourselves, objects we cherish, objects we attribute value to, is derogatory and offensive for us. Similarly, women are not mere objects of sexuality but more than that. They are not mere objects of pleasure and consumption. In presenting them as such, in presenting them as a commodity, where they are merely another product, the sole surviving caged animal of the planet, up for display is not only denying them their humanity but stripping them of the equality that they so often campaign for, equality they truly deserve.

The nude image of the 20 year old Alia Mahdi instead of evoking in me even an iota of inspiration, repulsed me. It was a contradiction in terms. On the one hand, she said it was an act of defiance against the oppressors of women, and on the other she herself chose to post a sexualised picture of herself presenting her in a male-pleasing eroticised manner, indirectly advocating the very sexism she supposedly was campaigning against. And if Alia wanted to be noticed, she sure did get all the attention she wanted because ‘flesh sells’. My problem is not with a woman’s right to reveal herself, but how in the act of ‘supposed defiance’ she has resorted to the same commodification that she detests.

Which brings us to Veena Malik and the recent furore over her ‘asset revealing’ shenanigans. All of us are well aware of her attention-seeking antics. Intriguingly Veena Malik in an interview for BBC has acceded to the fact that she posed topless and not nude for the Indian magazine. Therefore all the ‘optimists’ who were hoping that the image was indeed morphed have been silenced by her own admission.

There has been the Islamist camp that has reacted vociferously against her ‘topless’ act while there have been those liberals who have supported Veena’s right to nudity. For those liberals who are viewing Veena’s nudity as something bold that aims to break free from the fetters of the taboos haunting our society, a reality check: Posing nude really isn’t doing any wonders for the cause of women in Pakistan; she through her act merely dismembered herself into a thing, broken down into components, legs, torso, hips, female body parts. She reinforced the idea that a female is wanted more for her curves than her brain, more for her external form than her intellect. That women are, in fact, objects of consumption.

The fact that a nude Veena has managed to move a nation sickens me. The attention being giving to Veena, was denied to Raja Khan, a man who stood for real change. A man who burnt himself outside the parliament because he could no longer afford to feed his children, a man who died in vain. It took a single man burning himself alive in Tunisia to topple a government and bring a tsunami of change in the region. For us, however, a naked Veena is more important, because she is ‘in her own way challenging the limits of the dominant religio-cultural discourse in Pakistan, which seeks to conflate superfluous notions of honour with the female self.’

‘Wah yaar, clapping hojaye.’

The writer is News Editor, Profit, Pakistan Today. He can be reached at [email protected]

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36 COMMENTS

  3. what ever happened in tunisia was far different from what happened in front of parliament house,coz tunisian peoples were firstly a nation and secondly human beings and pakistan,i feel embarrassment by even saying that we are a nation.so the first thing to do is that we come out as a strong nation.after that things will go on the right track.

  4. Nicely written article!! U make excellent points as to where as a nation our focus has transformed to. Very Sad!!!

  5. This article is perhaps one of the best iv read on the issue so far, for some strange reason we have this habit of sensationalising trivial matters while burying other far greater matters with great ease. I know, though that many women rights activists and so called liberals will certainly find the writer's point of view highly disturbing, but being a feminist myself I think he could not have said it better when he writes, " she through her act merely dismembered herself into a thing, broken down into components, legs, torso, hips, female body parts. She reinforced the idea that a female is wanted more for her curves than her brain, more for her external form than her intellect." Great piece of writing. Absolutely, brilliant and refreshing. The commodification of women is what we need to fight against.

  6. Brilliant article! In a country like Pakistan where they're anticipating spicy headlines every other day, nothing would really matter. News like that of Raja Khan hardly stay in the minds for a few seconds. People would rather scrutinize the whole Veena Malik situation than bring shame to their own selves. Nothing is going is going to bring a change in this country due to the vast amount of couch potatoes! *Sigh* Raja probably knew that his death won't make any difference..

  7. this is moot. arbitrary. and if that's what the author is tyring to get to I agree completely. however, that being said, the author does post hint at a slight form of disgust almost at the nakedness of these women. but, its essential to recognize that it should be neither. why an actress is given so much attention eludes me (that is not specific to pakistan fyi). why can one not chose to praise the girl that wears the scarf on her head eludes me too. that being said, in any situation if a woman is trying to bank on the fact that the controversy of it all will bring the attention needed kudos to the woman who does so and does so before anyone else (ref to veena). but the importnat fact to realize is that while a girl posts it on a blog that is her online identity, Veena chose to pose in a magazine. Let it be taken as a mere act of publicity and that's all. If I as a woman, am expected to have an artist on the lieks of Veena represent what it means to be a woman in pakistan, then no thank you. I have met many a well respected models who pose nude everyday but would stand in a feminist protest as well. we need to recognize the fact that these two women are worlds apart and that sadly, pakistan likes to give attention to the nobodies of its nation versus the intellectuals thus acknowledging a lost battle in the fight for womens rights. nonetheless, there is solace in mukhtara mai, as she is the example we can and rather look upto as pakistani women as the vast majority can relate to her. however, i'm sure more kids would know of veena malik than mukhatara mai's cause. and those two might be the only parallels we can draw. while i do not disgaree with the author i cannot agree as well. Being a hijabi from days before, to now a non-hijabi , the freedom of expression is the freedom that is needed and that freedom is there for an urban pakistani woman. let freedom live , but not through the eyes of veena and let us not forget that she got paid for this. we just need more and better role modelsto identify with. let her not represent feminism in pakistan, but let her act not be condemned either.

  8. very well written article. You say that Veena is getting more attention than Raja Khan and say you are not happy about that, but your whole article is about Veena and other women posing nude. Actress, singers, models and all the people in show business just do things for publicity and attention, even though they try and convince the common folk differently. And if they choose to do things like this, I don't really care. Because she does not represent Pakistan or Muslims for me, as one person doesn't make a nation.
    people everywhere, not just Pakistan, love to gossip and the celebrity life and you can't change that. so let them indulge. you can't blame them, as it is mostly the media's fault. i just hope people are smart enough to know that what the media portrays isn't always the full truth and you don't make a difference in the world by following others.

  12. You see, Veena Malik's Antics were not important and certainly did not deserve any attention. She is a show-woman and she showed. Fine, Move on… The issue was given so much importance by the religious fanatics that the liberals moved in to defend her right and the right of every women to wear burqah if she wants, wear nothing if she deems…
    The attention by Liberals was (and has always been) as a counter reaction. Let everyone be; let their be no fanatics and there shall be no liberals.. They wouldn't be required….

  13. nice piece of art…but i guess you have missed other side of story sir! naked veena had a photoshot at india….

  17. You see, Veena Malik's Antics were not important and certainly did not deserve any attention. She is a show-woman and she showed. Fine, Move on… The issue was given so much importance by the religious fanatics that the liberals moved in to defend her right and the right of every women to wear burqah if she wants, wear nothing if she deems…
    The attention by Liberals was (and has always been) a counter reaction. Let everyone be; let there be no fanatics and there shall be no liberals.. They wouldn't be required….

  18. Our ideals of heroes are drastically changing, i can’t agree more with the author. Some people say that it is people’s right to give attention to celebrities, however what the author points out and what many have failed to understand is that this exactly where we are suffering as a nation. For us issues like Veena Maliks nudity is of more importance than social issues like the hundreds of people committing suicide on a daily basis due to poverty, unemployment and other such problems. Unfortunately, this is how we’ve become. An indifferent nation.

  19. Excellent points raised by the writer, love the writing style and a slap on the face of ‘so called’ liberals that are the epitome of double standards. If Veena Malik has become the Che Guevara of Pakistan, then my goldfish will save the planet. We need some sanity of thought, unfortunately something we’re lacking. Her attention seeking antics, and those of others like her like Amir Liaquat Hussain are blown out of proportion, while issues that need to be blown out of proportion aren’t ever raised because somehow they don’t matter.

  24. For sure Veena Malik moved a nation, but not emotionally, neither rationally, nor revoltingly …. she caused a subtle movement below the belt for those who think shes more important to discuss than a man who set himself on fire … What shame …… two thumbs up for the article

  25. way to go ali!! a really thought provoking article indeed. but like most people i guess i too have my doubts that unlike in some other part of the world, a man setting himself on fire in pakistan would actually bring any kind of 'revolution'. looking at pakistan from abroad sometimes gives me an impression that maybe in pakistan we arent really trying to bring about any real change…maybe we just want to occupy ourselves in stories like veena malik n for the real issues we just have the attitude of 'matti pao'…perhaps because electricity issues or railway screw ups arent so sexually interesting are they? do correct me if im wrong in saying so… but anyways Allah hum sab ko nek hidayat de yaar…i usually believe in the saying that 'waqt acha ho ya bura, aik na aik din badalta zaror hai'…and pakistan ka bura waqt InshAllah bohat jald badle ga…

  26. Very thought provoking article. Great work. Veena did it for publicity, she got that. Raja did it maybe in hopes for a better tomorrow, he failed. Now we know where our priorities are. Sad.

  27. loved the article ! it shows how our country has taken over by sex driven entertainment business and has fogged our eyes to see the big picture. our nation is deteriorating and we are doing nothing as a nation to stop it. why did media even gave ‘naked veena’ such a hype when our sole purpose right now should be to save our country from the corrupt leadership and poor education system. people like veena will always strip a little more to seek attention one way or the other and this won’t change our country’s condition. i bet a few people knew about this raja guy getting burnt, i for one got to know about it after reading this article, and whoever i asked didn’t have an inkling about it., its a shame our nation talked about an attention seeking celebrity for days but not a guy who burnt himself alive.

  28. The pictures are not the problem. The problem is that so many people, *including the author*, sees them as commodification. The author seems to support women's rights but he still sees only body parts and misses the message. Think about it…

  29. The fact that a nude Veena has managed to move a nation sickens me. The attention being giving to Veena, was denied to Raja Khan, a man who stood for real change. A man who burnt himself outside the parliament because he could no longer afford to feed his children, a man who died in vain.

    WOW!!

  31. Dude, whats wrong with you, you feel nervous when you see naked women, cause it is agianst Islam. You question what these women have achieved being naked in the name of freedom of Expression and Women's Rights. What do you expect from a woman who is in entertainment business to write an article or to give a lecture on Women's rights. What Veena had done is very right, she is an actress thats why she posed topless.

  32. Well written. This is exactly what has been the outrage in this entire scenario. Opportunists like Veena Malik are hailed by "liberals" or reviled by "conservatives" for causes she may have no interest in at all. She made good money through publicity and each controversy further sells her, while we argue about whether she is Joan d'Arc or a slut.
    All she did was resort to the oldest profession in the book to make some quick bucks.
    Sad that these are the people who drive public discourse in this country while millions starve and break under economic woes.
    As for people like Alia, her "protest" reinforces images of women as exactly the stereotype shes trying to break away. Becoming a tart does in no way alleviate a woman's status in the eyes of a society.

    Who are the real criminals in these sordid events? Veena, Alia, media.. or us consumers? I think its the consumers who live for such cheap entertainment. Outsides our windows many other Raja Khans are burning.

  34. Yes, I'm a female. I push doors that clearly say PULL. I laugh harder when I try to explain why I'm laughing. I walk into a room and forget why I was there. I count on my fingers. I hide the pain from my loved ones. I say it is a long story, when it really is not, just to get out of having to tell it. I cry a lot more than you think I do. I care about people who don't care about me. I am strong be…cause I have to be, not because I want to be. I listen to you, even when you don't listen to me. And a hug will always help. Yes, I'm a girl!!!!!

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