ew things command more attention than a homegrown Olympic hero, and Arshad Nadeem has become just that. A golden beacon of national pride, his recent Gold at the Paris Olympics has made him the darling of Pakistan. Yet even heroes can't escape the ever-watchful eye of public scrutiny, especially when they stray from the expected script. Case in point, Arshad's apparent aversion to the pressa move that's raised more than a few eyebrows, most notably those of actor Mishi Khan.
In a world where every movement of the famous is dissected, Mishi's sharp critique of the athlete's recent behaviour did more than just ripple through social media; it caused a little backlash as well. The actor took to Instagram and posted a video of Arshad walking away from a throng of eager reporters. Accompanying the clip was her pointed commentary, "If you're late for something at least reply to them. Wow, look at the arrogance. Money makes people cuckoo."
The swipe at Arshad, however uncalled for, was clear: fame and fortune had perhaps turned the humble javelin thrower into another celebrity too big for his boots. However, this public dressing-down didn't sit well with everyone. Enter Zhalay Sarhadi, another face familiar to Pakistani audiences, who took it upon herself to rally in Arshad's defence.
The actor chastised Mishi's comments, arguing that they were nothing short of unfair. "This is extremely unjust. He is most probably always hounded by people, and we are but human. To be saying that money makes him this way is so myopic knowing that we come from an industry where fame can be overbearing, and we all have days we cannot be accommodating."
Zhalay's point is not lost. The pressure of fame can indeed be suffocating, and the assumption that every public figure must always be 'on' is unrealistic, if not impossible. Perhaps Arshad was simply having one of those days where the weight of his newfound status felt a little too heavy to carry.
Mishi wasn't about to let the matter drop without having the final word. In a retort that dripped with condescension, the actor clapped back with a reminder of her own industry tenure. "Well darling Zhalay, I have much more experience with fame, paparazzi and journalists than you to see through this kind of behaviour, so don't school me. Thank you. Stay blessed."
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