Every day we spend our energy on our rights for free speech, but the moment someone’s opinion goes against our own, out come the ‘ism’ cards and the finger pointing starts. This week a veteran actor Firdous Jamal was in an interview on an ARY show called Salam Zindagi with Faisal Qureshi. In a segment based on giving advice to artist whose pictures were displayed, when shown Mahira Khan’s picture Firdous Jamal said that Mahira Khan was at best a mediocre model and old enough to do roles of a mother. Out came the social media gods and began the name calling as is the trend. He was called an ageist (there is such a thing) and a sexist.
Calm your tits, people. It was just his opinion, it does not take away anything from Mahira. Pinkie promise.
That wasn’t all
The news channels picked it up like there are no bigger issues in the world. Samaa, Bol, Geo…all the channels started airing it like a war was declared. People, mostly of the media fraternity, started giving him flak for his opinion, which I will reiterate was asked. It became a saga. Now, Mahira Khan could have easily quashed by saying, ‘I respect is opinion and he’s entitled to it; all I will say is that I will work harder and change his opinion.’ But that would have switched off the limelight she had on her. As they say, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Instead she went on to post this on her Instagram
When some sense prevailed or was talked into her a few days later she posted this:
That wasn’t all (part 2)
Momina Duraid went on her social media and announced the ban of Firdous Jamal from MD productions. Not only that she used vile words like “we are ashamed of him”, “MD Productions will not work with him again in any capacity because of his sexist, regressive, and discriminatory attitude.” I can’t even. Actually, I will. How disrespectful and uncultured of her to speak like that about a man who gave the best years of his life to help build the very fraternity she is trying to ban him from.
Of course, there were many who went with what was trending and took Mahira’s side because if you stand close enough to the limelight there are chances people might see you too. But I don’t want to talk about those extras. I want to talk about people like Feroz Khan, Shaan, and Veena Malik who stood up against this bullshitism.
my question is this what freedom of speech gets you ?! Getting someone’s bread and butter cancelled ?? If it does … then I want every single bastard out there bashing any human being on the internet get cancelled the same way !! Coz you can’t ! 🙂
— Feroze Khan (@ferozekhaan) August 1, 2019
Enough is enough ! pic.twitter.com/kUz6GA7xpU
#Letsbringourprideback🇵🇰 an artist lives in his own zone, he speaks a different language, his choice of words might be hated , but his endless dedication to his work & his brilliance in acting can never be disrespected. #livinglegend #halloffame #forgiveforgetmoveon 🙏🏼🇵🇰❤️ pic.twitter.com/l7VaiOWsHw
— Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) July 31, 2019
Sad to see whats happening around.Only couple of ppl frm the industry suporting FJ.
— VEENA MALIK (@iVeenaKhan) August 1, 2019
چڑھتے سورج کی پوجا اور مومنہ درید سے بین ہونے کا ڈر۔۔۔۔حد ہے۔
What precedent this whole fiasco has set?Stay silent & support the favourites, else you will be kickout. Shameful #supportfirdousjamal
They are right to question: what precedent are setting here? Pander to the hand that rules or else be destroyed? That disrespecting legends is okay? First Badar Khalil fell prey to this and now Firdous Jamal. Who’s next?
Thank you all ! Let’s keep #supportfirdousjamal alive ! Because its against oppression. pic.twitter.com/2fM33onp23
— Hamza Firdous (@hamza_firdous) August 2, 2019
The hashtag started by Hamza Firdous #SupportFirdousJamal started trending on Twitter with people supporting the legend in throngs. Not most in the ‘fraternity’, but a lot of the public. The hashtag called out Momina on her insolence and pointing out that a personal opinion is not a state matter and definitely not something that justifies the reaction, which if we play by her own rules is hate speech. They reminded her how actors like him have seen the real struggle, pre-internet days as opposed to gaining fame through a click. Many agreed that he wasn’t wrong, Mahira is just a pretty face and that is hardly a talent.
So, let me ask you this, are we actually proponents for the freedom of speech or are we too eclipsed with ‘ism’ coloured glasses that everything all of a sudden has to be black or white? Whatever happened to tolerance that we ask for ourselves every minute of the day, huh?
Who else is getting tired of these negative hashtags that are being used to make non-issues into issues? Yeah, me too.