The marriage of Lollywood actress, Reema, who had dominated the local film industry for almost two decades, to a US-based cardiologist, has brought forth a flurry of media attention and a wave of comment over the internet. Many have congratulated Reema on her wedding and we join them in this. But there have also been a very large number of snide, or even disparaging remarks, directed generally against her and her status as a performer, and the morality within the film industry in general. This simply reflects the kind of mindset that exists today, with many Pakistanis seeing the entertainment industry as one awash in sin and immorality — when in reality it is about people making a living trying to entertain the rest of us. This attitude has had an impact on the standard of films, theatre and other art forms in our country, with India, for instance moving far ahead of us in this arena, as some of the cinematic productions from that country hit international screens. In our country, confused notions of ‘respectability’ cloud the scene and complicate matters, with women in films still failing to attain the status they deserve as talented individuals engaged in a demanding profession.
The manner in which women involved in the entertainment industry are treated has been reflected most recently in the case involving a Punjab minister and his wife, an actress, who ‘vanished’ soon after giving birth to a baby girl. The minister had reportedly first met the actress at a dance performance. Allegations abound that the Punjab government is trying to cover up the matter with the minister denying any knowledge of it. The central issue remains the position of women in film, notions about their character and the wider beliefs in our society pertaining to women in general. Reema’s marriage has, in many ways, highlighted these. But the real question to be asked is; what we can do to bring in change and alter antiquated ideas rooted in the nature of our society and the manner in which it functions?
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2011.
COMMENTS (5)
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Congratulations Reema. Hope you married the right guy and stay happy!
it is good that she decided to marry otherwise most of actresses now a days wanted to stay single in whole life or like to have label of divorcee.
@jjove: Who cares whether the guy is an interventional cardiologist or an interventional radiologist. Most professionals compromise home life for their jobs which is why so many of them are divorced in the United States. I'm sure Reema's husband will be slaving away at this practice with little time to devote to his home life with the result that the marriage will be over in under a year. It has nothing to do with the fact that the guy looks unattractive but rather marriages need time and obviously this guy won't have time.
The guy dosn't look like much of a match for Reema. I suppose love really is "blind"!