The price of infamy
Are celebrities above the law, or are they accountable for their deeds?
KARACHI:
On May 27, television networks broke some rather disturbing news: Ali Saleem, better known to the masses as Begum Nawazish, had broken his 60-year-old mother Farzana’s nose in a fit of drunken rage in a dispute over property. Saleem was arrested after his mother filed a complaint with the police, which she later withdrew. However, the famous TV host now faces a case under the Hudood Ordinance for being intoxicated.
The controversial star, known for his risque manner of questioning guests on his show regarding controversial news, is out on bail, but now finds himself in the midst of fierce criticism from the media and public.
“Well, I am barely out of bed, call me in half an hour,” said Saleem, when contacted by The Express Tribune. Since then, however, all attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful as his cell phone is now switched off. Thus, his version of the story remains unknown, as friends frantically try to contact him through Facebook. The star has responded to none of the queries.
His brother Omar Saleem refrained from discussing the episode: “It is an event that happened in the family and it should remain in the family. No? Don’t you think so?”
However, given the fact that the Begum has always been a source of controversy and gossip since she burst on the television scene, it is hard to keep the matter under wraps. Besides, the matter of intoxication and domestic abuse from a celebrity is bound to stir up debate. The Express Tribune spoke to several celebrities about their view on the matter. Shall this matter be kept under wraps? Are celebrities above the law, or are they accountable for their deeds, even those pertaining to their private lives? Do celebrities ever get to have private lives at all?
“Celebrities don’t have the license to be wayward,” said music composer Arshad Mahmood. “An artist needs to be disciplined, for if he is not disciplined, he will not be able to do his work.”
Actor Atiqa Odho emphasised the duty of public figures towards society: “Nobody has the right to take the law in their own hands. If you are a public figure, you need to carry yourself with great responsibility for you are a role model to the youth of the society. Hence, if you take the law in your own hands, you are giving the wrong message to society.”
Samina Peerzada, another actor, had similar views: “Celebrities are also civilians, and if they commit a crime, then they too are punishable by law.”
This seems to be the unanimous opinion. Even Maheen Kardar, the well known fashion designer, said: “Nobody has the right to take the law into their own hands. Nobody. The law is above all.”
Saleem isn’t the first local celeb to have gotten in trouble with the law given Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s issues with taxation and Adnan Sami’s family brawls. Neither is he the first to have been embroiled in a case of domestic abuse while intoxicated. Bollywood actor Salman Khan is known for having roughed up his girlfriends, and even been arrested for the poaching of gazelle and accidentally killing a pedestrian due to negligent driving. The list of such cases is long, and not just limited to the subcontinent: Singer James Brown, rapper Eminem, actor Sean Penn – all have made headlines for the wrong reasons. Just last month, Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage was arrested for punching and shoving his wife after an argument. He was later released on a bond of $11,000.
Compared to what many celebs the world over have gotten in trouble for, Saleem’s problems seem minor in comparison, and there’s no dount that the publicity has more to do with his celeb status rather than the event itself. But one thing is clear: Even the private lives of celebrities are very much in the public domain.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2011.
On May 27, television networks broke some rather disturbing news: Ali Saleem, better known to the masses as Begum Nawazish, had broken his 60-year-old mother Farzana’s nose in a fit of drunken rage in a dispute over property. Saleem was arrested after his mother filed a complaint with the police, which she later withdrew. However, the famous TV host now faces a case under the Hudood Ordinance for being intoxicated.
The controversial star, known for his risque manner of questioning guests on his show regarding controversial news, is out on bail, but now finds himself in the midst of fierce criticism from the media and public.
“Well, I am barely out of bed, call me in half an hour,” said Saleem, when contacted by The Express Tribune. Since then, however, all attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful as his cell phone is now switched off. Thus, his version of the story remains unknown, as friends frantically try to contact him through Facebook. The star has responded to none of the queries.
His brother Omar Saleem refrained from discussing the episode: “It is an event that happened in the family and it should remain in the family. No? Don’t you think so?”
However, given the fact that the Begum has always been a source of controversy and gossip since she burst on the television scene, it is hard to keep the matter under wraps. Besides, the matter of intoxication and domestic abuse from a celebrity is bound to stir up debate. The Express Tribune spoke to several celebrities about their view on the matter. Shall this matter be kept under wraps? Are celebrities above the law, or are they accountable for their deeds, even those pertaining to their private lives? Do celebrities ever get to have private lives at all?
“Celebrities don’t have the license to be wayward,” said music composer Arshad Mahmood. “An artist needs to be disciplined, for if he is not disciplined, he will not be able to do his work.”
Actor Atiqa Odho emphasised the duty of public figures towards society: “Nobody has the right to take the law in their own hands. If you are a public figure, you need to carry yourself with great responsibility for you are a role model to the youth of the society. Hence, if you take the law in your own hands, you are giving the wrong message to society.”
Samina Peerzada, another actor, had similar views: “Celebrities are also civilians, and if they commit a crime, then they too are punishable by law.”
This seems to be the unanimous opinion. Even Maheen Kardar, the well known fashion designer, said: “Nobody has the right to take the law into their own hands. Nobody. The law is above all.”
Saleem isn’t the first local celeb to have gotten in trouble with the law given Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s issues with taxation and Adnan Sami’s family brawls. Neither is he the first to have been embroiled in a case of domestic abuse while intoxicated. Bollywood actor Salman Khan is known for having roughed up his girlfriends, and even been arrested for the poaching of gazelle and accidentally killing a pedestrian due to negligent driving. The list of such cases is long, and not just limited to the subcontinent: Singer James Brown, rapper Eminem, actor Sean Penn – all have made headlines for the wrong reasons. Just last month, Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage was arrested for punching and shoving his wife after an argument. He was later released on a bond of $11,000.
Compared to what many celebs the world over have gotten in trouble for, Saleem’s problems seem minor in comparison, and there’s no dount that the publicity has more to do with his celeb status rather than the event itself. But one thing is clear: Even the private lives of celebrities are very much in the public domain.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2011.