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Viva Veena

Published: January 22, 2011

‘Make a dressing code of conduct and I will abide by it’

LAHORE: When British television broadcaster David Frost made a plan to do a series of interviews with former US President Richard Nixon in 1977, very few bought his idea of doing so. However, Frost captured one emotional moment of Nixon on video tape and it changed worldview perceptions for Nixon.

Veena Malik is very different from Frost and Nixon but has emerged as a hero that sprung her stardom around after a television interview pertaining to her appearance in “Bigg Boss 4”. The Express Tribune exclusively talks to the actor to get a uncut version of what really happened at the reality show.

You have worked very hard to become a star, after an interview with The Express News you went from a star to a hero overnight, your thoughts?

Credit goes to all the liberal people of Pakistan. I have been receiving messages and phone calls from the fashion industry and other people from all walks of life, telling me that I am their hero. I had to come on television and defend myself because no one else was defending me.

What do you think you achieved by participating in “Bigg Boss”?

Before I went to “Bigg Boss,” people showed videos of women being publicly beaten up by men to represent the condition of women in Pakistan. I showed the world that Pakistani women are not the ones that get beaten up; I showed that a Pakistani woman wears modern clothes at home and at the same time she can cook and serve others. The culture of Pakistan is not limited to wearing shalwar kameez and this changed the negative perceptions attached to Pakistani women.

If presented with an opportunity what is the one thing that you would like to change in the country?

Double standards and hypocrisy; make a dressing code of conduct and I will abide by it.

If Pakistan has to host “Bigg Boss” and you have to handle affairs, what would be your list of its contestants?

(Laughs loudly) Former president Pervez Musharraf, Sheikh Rashid, Jamsheed Dasti, Shiv Sena, Nargis, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Ashwariya Rai,  Meera and Britney Spears.

Any contestants from “Bigg Boss 4”?

Dolly Bindra. Even the very thought of this show is very funny. This could be hilarious.

Are you going to do some social work with the help of Pamela Anderson in Pakistan?

Pamela brought water filters with her from America. One filter costs $50 each and purifies the water. I talked to her and I am going to invite her to Pakistan to work in order to provide clean water to marginalized people here (Pakistan) once things settle down. I also talked to Ashmit Patel and he wants to come and work with thalassemia patients.

What has been the most shocking and interesting news since you left the “Bigg Boss” house?

When I was evicted and was going to my vanity van (dressing room), the first question that journalists asked me was, ‘Veena Malik, Indian people are loving you while in Pakistan people have turned against you. What do have to say?’ I was shocked and I said there has to be some kind of misunderstanding and I will clear it. The good news was that the Indians said they want me back on the show.

Who styles Veena Malik?

Veena Malik. Whenever someone else does he or she does blunders.

Who is your designer?

I rely on my own fashion sense. I don’t use accessories instead I believe in carrying myself well and that is what I try to do.

Who is your hero?

I spoke against the double standards and defended myself on television. There isn’t anyone in the entertainment industry right now that I look up to.

Is there a difference in the Veena  Malik  before” Bigg Boss” and now?

Three months ago, people in India did not know me now everyone does. In three months I earned what I earn here (Pakistan) in a year.

What are your future plans?

I have a lot of offers from India, USA, UK and Australia. I am going to focus of television mainly and would do films only if I get good offers. I am not going to do some typical ‘B’ or ‘C ‘class Bollywood films.

Is there any message you would like to give to the people of Pakistan?

The youth is my hope. We have to open our minds and change things around us. I am sure the youth of my country will support me wherever I go. And wherever I go, I am going to represent the entertainment industry of my country.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2011.

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Reader Comments (50)

  • Jan 23, 2011 - 12:29AM

    Veena Malik shuld not do like this as she is doing in India very bad for Pakistan as wel as for her family thistype of talk and behavier is not allowed.Recommend

  • Obed
    Jan 23, 2011 - 12:34AM

    Veena has become my favorite celebrity ever after that interview… the way she defended herself, and said “molvi sahab aap ghalat keh rahay hain”… was amazingly courageous… kudos for this brave Pakistani girl… we need a of then lot like you…

    By the way the Pakistani Big Boss participant list is hillarous… now she has a great sense of homor as well!Recommend

  • sunnyboy
    Jan 23, 2011 - 12:49AM

    dear veena,
    you are one in a trillion i respect your great courage,people like you are very hard to found in pakistan society.those mullars that hate you must try to preach peace not hatred,they just hate you because of their envy,greed and wickedness.how many of them came out to support salman taseer,those mullars or moulve are great enemies of pakistan.
    if they hate what you were doing in biggboss they should turn off their television,and watch peacetv,they want to present themselves as ALLAH they condenm people when they want.please my DEAR VEENA MALEEK GO ON AND SPREAD MESSAGE OF LOVE AND PEACE.WE SALUTE YOU,YOU ARE OUR HEROE.PAKISTANS LOVES YOURecommend

  • Ayeshaa
    Jan 23, 2011 - 1:59AM

    Lame!
    She was being such a STICKY NOTE in big boss to all the guys..this is not what we Paki girls are. Yes we do fashion, yes we wear western clothes but we don’t expose our body…she was only showing a Pakistani girl but not Muslim..may be she might be Pakistani but seemed like a NON-MUSLIM.

    Whatever lady (VEENA) , Muslim girls are not like you. At-least try to hide your body parts and stop giving flying kisses to stars obviously then they will call you in their movies…!Recommend

  • Raqib Ali
    Jan 23, 2011 - 2:15AM

    well done Veena.Recommend

  • Ram
    Jan 23, 2011 - 3:26AM

    Here is someone who holds up a vibrant, creative and potentially wealthy Pakistan to the world. Bravo and good luck to her!!Recommend

  • Aiman Mughni
    Jan 23, 2011 - 4:09AM

    I support you Veena =) Good luck for the future.Recommend

  • Bling Bling
    Jan 23, 2011 - 4:46AM

    The way she stood up for herself with valid arguments on that TV show, she really gained respect from me. LONG LIVE VEENA MALIK!Recommend

  • pl/sql
    Jan 23, 2011 - 5:21AM

    An absolutely brave woman!!! I hope you have opened a new chapter for the liberals in Pakistan.

    I am Indian by the way.Recommend

  • Shumaila
    Jan 23, 2011 - 10:36AM

    Veena is a very talented actress, no doubt about it but she is one who can make her mark any where in the world with out crossing any limits, she needs to understand that thing media people exploit our good actors and throw them in the dustbin after using them, one needs to keep one thing in mind that performance with in ceratain boundries is always appreciated, be carefull in the future, wish you best of luck for the future but think 100 times before accepting anything, you rocks but “YAHAN KOTHAHI ZOK-E-AMAL HA KHUD GRIFTARI / JAHAN BAZU SIMAT TAY HAIN WAHEEN SAYAD HOTA HAI.Recommend

  • Saad
    Jan 23, 2011 - 11:35AM

    Veena malik hero? ! and expecting what from youth? watch her sleazy act and praise Recommend

  • Eeman
    Jan 23, 2011 - 1:08PM

    Bravo, Veena Malik. All praise go to your conviction and courage. Indeed, courage is contagious. Recommend

  • Asit
    Jan 23, 2011 - 2:51PM

    Hypocrite?? eh.. see who is talking!!!!!!!!Recommend

  • Jan 23, 2011 - 4:14PM

    All bigots to simmer down a bit. Veena Malik is not a threat to anything.Recommend

  • sanity
    Jan 23, 2011 - 4:23PM

    Veena please dont change. If you read this, know that there are many who support you despite the idiot anchors claims to the contrary!Recommend

  • Junaid Ali Khan
    Jan 23, 2011 - 5:11PM

    We support u Veena , ur courage, exposing hypocrisy in our society. BravoRecommend

  • farah
    Jan 23, 2011 - 5:26PM

    we all love veenaRecommend

  • kk tiger
    Jan 23, 2011 - 5:32PM

    Veena , you are really bold and brave in hypocrite-infested country of ours. Perhaps the only girl (or even man – for that purpose) with real balls!! Recommend

  • hana
    Jan 23, 2011 - 5:50PM

    i like u veena. u might have done some stupid things.. but in the interveiw u proved that u are not brainless female. and u were just polite to people but they took undue advantage. if veena would have confronted sameer for his commenting nature. sameer wouldnt had any place to hide his face… love u veena for the women u areRecommend

  • Waqas Ahmed
    Jan 23, 2011 - 7:30PM

    She is just not worth and what makes her think that she represented Pakistani women in the Big Boss. She is such a third rated actress and does not deserve such attention at all.Recommend

  • Momo
    Jan 23, 2011 - 8:34PM

    This is sick!! Not Veena Malik´s interview but how people actualy keep on changing sides and their opinions on a single matter and that too so fast!! Two days ago she was a shame and a hypocrite and all the sudden she becomes a “hero”, a representer of a modern pakistani woman!
    Why are we so confused, havent we learned who we are!!Recommend

  • haider
    Jan 23, 2011 - 10:16PM

    Ali Usman! Great work. Recommend

  • Javed Iqbal
    Jan 23, 2011 - 11:03PM

    If you see something inappropriate happening then (irrespective of whose doing it) AT LEAST consider it wrong in your heart rather than supporting it.

    If that would have not been a public show, I dont care what veena does. Our fore fathers sacrificed to get a shadow where Islam can be practiced. Whether it is practiced today or not is a separate discussion. But when veena agreeed to be a part of BB, she must have realized the responsibility of representing not only Muslims from Pakistan but Muslims from India as well. Now many would ask why… why? because our youth, our children, our society do take inspirations from media. I don’t want this message to be conveyed to my daughter that wearing revealing clothes is alright and people will respect you more. I don’t want her to get a message that if you are giving massage to a female then its alright to give massage to a male as well. I don’t want my wife to hear questions/taunts from ppl all around saying that if a Muslim Veena can socialize with opposite gender and wear such clothes, why can’t you. I don’t want my family to get a message that if you are nice to others, it does not matter how you spend your time to make it joyful. You just need to be polite and sweet and rest nothing matters.

    Veena wanted to change India’s views about Pakistan. Who asked her to do so ? and we don’t want a person whose pictures are all over the internet to change some1s view about Pakistan.Recommend

  • raj
    Jan 24, 2011 - 7:09AM

    we indians love you veena – i saw how you responded to that mulla in tv show – great job.
    love you
    your another indian fan
    Recommend

  • Altaf Ahmad
    Jan 24, 2011 - 12:06PM

    She has crossed all the limits. she don’t know any thing about islam, ethics, and morality.Recommend

  • Samved
    Jan 24, 2011 - 4:56PM

    Very well done Veena and keep up the forte.Recommend

  • Ali
    Jan 24, 2011 - 5:10PM

    Veena after what you said to the mullah i am your fan and love you for it! Allah aap ko hamesha khush rakhey, kaamyaabi aap ke kadam choomey aur Khuda aap ko mehfooz rakhey… Ameen!

    Hum sab aap ke saath haiN!Recommend

  • Sadia
    Jan 24, 2011 - 7:41PM

    sigh!!!
    how could we be so lame, illogical n irrational… worldly gains n worldly losses as if we are never gonna die n accounted for what we are doing here…Recommend

  • Javed Iqbal
    Jan 24, 2011 - 7:50PM

    @Saida: I agree that we need to evaluate the commutative effect rather than appreciating just one, two or three goods that are senseless.Recommend

  • Emmon Khan
    Jan 25, 2011 - 1:33AM

    Veena has become the voice of all those people who want to rebel against the socio-political status-quo that is led of mullah-military-fauji alliance. This status quo has been stinking the lives of Pakistanis for too long and has dragged us into the era of the cave of ignorance, hypocricy and chauvinism. More strength to you Veen Jee, we the ordinary people of Pakistan are with you for challenging and humiliating these voices of ignorance represented by both the bearded mullah and the painto-shirto ‘mullah’ i.e. the equally regressive anchor-person!Recommend

  • Nimra
    Jan 25, 2011 - 1:39AM

    I am not sure if mullahs are “so Islamic” how are they watching the show? isn’t it unislamic to watch such things at all.Specially the Islami men commenting here.Why do you watch shows like these or allow your family to do so in the first place?Recommend

  • khan
    Jan 25, 2011 - 10:53AM

    well done veena. you proved what u are and what can u do for money. you had very boldly confessed that people everywhere know you after your role and action in big boss. showing your body and giving kisses to an actor does not make u popular rather they made u notorious and all those who want to exploit girls like u will definitely search out for u. at least they are in search of bold babes like u who can do anything. all those who are mad at u do not have anything to do with u it is the name Pakistan that is cutting them. so u can never be famous and popular because u had used Ur body to get name. but u forgot that fame does not come with body rather it comes with talent and hard work. Recommend

  • Ram
    Jan 25, 2011 - 11:29AM

    @Khan

    I suspect that Veena will do more to attract goodwill to Pakistan than many give her credit for. India and Pakistan are in a perlious state economically for being stuck in the past. In contrast, a rapidly Westernising and modernising China is uplifting its people by projecting the sort of measured grace that Veena does. She is a good ambassador for your country and S Asia generally. It’s a shame you don’t seem to realise that.Recommend

  • Sunil
    Jan 25, 2011 - 11:40AM

    there is nothing to be proud of or denounce the lady. Why this non-issue is getting so much of attention when there is already a everest-high heap of problems in Pakistan. If every individual from a country is considered to be a representative of the country then one can think of the mess the country’s image will be in.
    If Veena Malik represented Pakistan in India then why not ‘Ajmal Kasab’ . Is’n’t he too a face of your country?
    People please let only your democratically elected govt. represnt your country.Recommend

  • Bosco
    Jan 25, 2011 - 2:29PM

    @Javed Iqbal:

    Javed, you are wrong
    Veena participated in the show as an individual, not as any representative of Pakistani Muslims or Indian Muslims.

    Viewers in India loved her for being herself, and no one in India is bothered with her religion or lack of it.

    There were other Indian Muslims’s as well on the show, but no one here gives a damn about their religion, same goes for all of the Hindu’s or Christians or Jews or whatever who participated in this show or any of its predecessors.

    I do not understand why Pakistani’s are so hung up with religion.

    Lighten up and enjoy life

    Cheers!Recommend

  • arshad
    Jan 25, 2011 - 4:07PM

    “Is there a difference in the Veena Malik before” Bigg Boss” and now?

    Three months ago, people in India did not know me now everyone does. In three months I earned what I earn here (Pakistan) in a year.”

    I cannot say anything more…..Recommend

  • Javed Iqbal
    Jan 25, 2011 - 9:51PM

    @Bosco:

    It might be alright for you and your moral level may allow you to accept this.

    She used to work in Pakistani dramas due to which all of my family knows her. So when they see her doing this kinda stuff, message conveyed is “maybe its okay to do so”. I have the right to condemn her because she may negatively influence my family. Kissing or hugging guys and girls equally does not make it right and being a Muslims and a Pakistanis I do not accept this for my family.

    After this, i believe many (like me) will stop watching her shows and dramas to protect their families from misguidance. Recommend

  • Jan 26, 2011 - 4:08PM

    Veena, We have watched all episodes of Bigg Boss-4. So what we say, are what seen on the Tv. There can not be any misunderstandig – that is for sure. You can not deny. You have also repeatedly asserted that “YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING OBJECTIONABLE”. Do you think Pakistanis are blind, clueless and brainless and YOU and YOU only are fair, true Pakistani and a true muslim. At least you should have apologised to the nation.Recommend

  • Ram
    Jan 27, 2011 - 12:08AM

    @Dawood

    What are you doing watching programmes like Big Boss? I for one find certain things on tv objectionable for a variety of reasons. I therefore do not watch them for fear of being corrupted or otherwise changed into the thing I find objectionable. You may want to try that.

    If the truth be known, this is an instance of blind Indian paranoia. This is the sort of paranoia that sees our children in both India and Pakistan living in ever deepening poverty whilst we fight over a blood fued that is best forgotten if we wish to get ahead as two nations.

    Veena is a refreshing sliver of hope.Recommend

  • alina
    Jan 27, 2011 - 12:29AM

    i dont think its about big boss any more..her actions arent justifyable..but she has a point, men arent treated the way she was..
    but kudos to the woman for her courage..and the way she told the maulvi off and brot to lite the molestation in religious sanctuary..three cheers

    Recommend

  • Meera Ghani
    Jan 27, 2011 - 9:20PM

    @ Zafar Iqbal “Veena Malik shuld not do like this as she is doing in India very bad for Pakistan as wel as for her family thistype of talk and behavier is not allowed.”

    Not allowed by whom??

    Kudo’s for standing up for your rights Veena. Kudo’s for not letting others scare you into silence. Kudo’s for giving others the authority to judge you.

    Ours is a very hypocritical society, your honesty was refreshing. You are what you are! At least you dont hide behind fake piety and self-righteousness. Do others have the guts to openly do what they do in the homes. I think not!!!Recommend

  • imran wayn
    Jan 28, 2011 - 9:12AM

    dear bros and sis why are you so worried about the act of veena in big boss.she do what she likes and let me tel you if that programme need even more than that she will not even hassitate.she is bold actress and model.she thinks that she is more profesional.so all of us are anoyed because she share the bed with indian boy. if same thing happen with pakistani boy then iit was not that bad.so we and media are helping her to bost her fame without casting a single cent.so pl let her do what she wanted to.do not draw boundries against her tallent.and enjoyRecommend

  • Javed Iqbal
    Jan 28, 2011 - 3:17PM

    @imran wayn:

    Don’t misguide ppl by attributing TALENT and BOLDNESS with VULGARITYRecommend

  • Rajotavo DasGupta
    Jan 30, 2011 - 3:47AM

    Viva Veena!! Great that she has put her false critics in place!! She is one gutsy lady!! She is a true ambassador of the large-hearted common Pakistanis we know and prefer. Not the bi-goted,hateful, Mullahs who are more dangerous than Bin Laden and his cohorts! It’s high time Pakistanis stopped living in the past…living in hatred…living in paranoia…living in delusion…living is total suspicion of India…living in ‘self’ hatred…
    Veena is a true HERO…and she has real ‘balls’, unlike the hypocritical,complexed, viscerally ‘India hating’ males that are so common among our Pakistani neighbours!

    Peace!Recommend

  • Javed Iqbal
    Jan 30, 2011 - 3:47PM

    @Rajotavo DasGupta:

    I agree that we should not hate each other (Pakistanis and Indians).
    But based on your likeliness we cannot change our moral standards. Moral thresholds for you maybe different based on your ideology, but our ideology have different thresholds which we need maintain while interacting with opposite gender and when appearing publicly.

    Offense is not just taken by many of Muslim males but also females, because Veena is not their true representation as many might think. She portrayed a false image of our society and ppl have the right to condemn that.

    Nothing against India specifically, so take no offense.Recommend

  • Ram
    Jan 31, 2011 - 1:23AM

    @Javed

    At the end of the day, I think it really does not matter who does what to whom. What does matter is that what we believe in stands on all fours with how we live. Pakistan purports to be pious and yet the facts are that it is a weak, occupied nation. It’s children are in dire poverty and it is being dictated to by foreigners from far over in the West. It needs to change the current method of it’s social thinking. This is true of much of the Islamic world where there is one thing being projected and another that is the truth. The only region benefitting from this state of affairs is the West which gets oil cheap and corrupt officials in these poor countries who get rich.

    Veena projects a confident modernity. She demonstrates that there are people in Pakistan who can be businesslike, confident and strong in their Islamic faith. Who can deal with you on their own terms and are, in all likelihood, adept at negotiating their way through life. She actually says to me that Islam is sufficiently cohesive and inclusive to warrant considering as a philosophy and belief.

    In contrast, the corruption in the midst of piety frightens me. Recommend

  • Javed Iqbal
    Jan 31, 2011 - 3:33PM

    @Ram:

    My first priority resides with my family and then with the nation. If you like how she behave, maybe you can use the same norms to bring up your family. Choice is yours.

    Pakistan is going through difficult times, because we are not following our ideology 100%.Recommend

  • Ram
    Feb 1, 2011 - 1:52AM

    @Javed

    Family and nation are one. In applying ideology, not one of a nation’s children should be dying of poverty so that a Western nations children may be rich enough to suffer from obesity and indulge in wasting food to the point where even their pets are fat and obese That is the truth of the matter and no matter how 100% you may think you are, if so much as one of the nation’s children dies for this reason, one has failed.

    Veena on the other hand has come next door and her efforts may act as a bridge. Maybe one day, that bridge may be so strong that no nation from far away in the West can ever come here and do to our children as is done. Then maybe we can all, as a sovereign peoples, look to study what we really wish to be spiritually and Islam, being one of our indigenous belief systems may truly be studied and understood. As it is, we are dysfunctional as a region and a culture.Recommend

  • Javed Iqbal
    Feb 1, 2011 - 4:14PM

    @Ram:

    Before I write a reply, I would request you not to drown yourself in emotional sea or blindfold yourself losing your ability to realize context of the topic under discussion, which FYI is related to morality and moral upbringing of ones family and nation and Veena’s action may influence.

    Focusing first on my family for better moral values is ultimately contributing to a change in nation.

    Check your stats, India has more poverty where more children are dieing of hunger without any natural calamity. However, there can many issues that can be discussed but what might interest me to even continue a discussion is to understand how you define your moral levels.

    Let me clarify, Islam is not just about Spirituality, it encourages and provides complete guideline to involve your self in physical/material world. It defines boundaries which should be maintained to live a peaceful and successful life (both worldly and spiritually).Recommend

  • Ram
    Feb 2, 2011 - 12:24AM

    @Javed

    Two things:

    The tone of the discussion largely goes beyond narrow morality to the broader tensions. That has always been the case where the two dysfunctional children of the sub-continent are involved. This is FACT. Had this been China, or the US (where Pakistani’s routinely act in breach of the spirit of Islam), I suspect there would not be this outrage).

    2 I did refer to the dysfuctionalism of South Asia as a regional issue. The poverty in both countries is down to this bloodfeud which is self defeating in contrast with say China where there is much deeper cohesion, even in Muslim Xinjiang, notwithstanding China being atheist and Han and Xinjiang being Muslim and Turkic. And we note that speed with which China including the Turkics, are reaping the rewards of cohesion. Nor does China suffer occupation and bombing by a foreign power which acts with impunity.

    Veena’s gesture is not just mere morality in that context. Anyone who thinks it is is missing the plot. In addition, Islam does not merely prescribe personal morality. It prescribes a whole raft of social and spiritual norms, one of them being the call to duty to ones people. Islam is not Protestantism where the social is disregarded over personal piety.

    It is in the spirit that I view Veena’s role as positive, as setting the tone for a more focussed Pakistan. I suspect I am correct but time will tell. Recommend

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