Salma, Azfar and Naveen: A private or public affair?
One of the most celebrated couples of Pakistan’s television industry — Azfar Ali and Salma Hasan of “Sub Set Hai” fame — have recently come into the spotlight for something completely unrelated to their professional lives.
After being married to Salma for 11 years, Azfar has officially tied the knot with Naveen Waqar — the actor who played the role of the infamous Sara that we all loved to hate in “Humsafar”.
Since the news of their marriage became public, outraged fans have taken to Facebook and Twitter to give their two bits about Azfar’s new marriage; a number of internet memes comparing Azfar, Salma and Naveen to the triangle of Ashar, Khirad and Sara from “Humsafar” are being circulated, liked and shared online.
“She couldn’t get her way in ‘Humsafar’ with Ashar, sadly she succeeded in breaking Azfar’s family,” says a meme with a picture of Naveen in character as Sara. Azfar Ali’s Facebook page has been bombarded with countless comments bashing him for causing pain to Salma.
“Shame on you. You have got nothing by getting married to her. You just lost all your fans,” an angry fan by the name of Ambitious Jainy posted on the actor’s page.
“Naveen took her role in ‘Humsafar’ a bit too seriously. In reel life she wanted to break Ashar and Khirad’s house, and real life she broke Azfar and Salma’s house. Azfar, you are shameless…”
But amidst the entire furor (and a page titled Justice for Salma), there are some fans who believe that the trio should be left alone. “Why are all the women crying over this issue? It’s Azfar’s life; he can marry as many women as he wants. Your useless rants can’t fix a broken home. I salute Azfar,” a supportive fan by the name of Sul Phuric Acid posted. Reacting to a post about Azfar’s marriage on Twitter, politician Sharmila Farooqi posted “Yup! Lucky guy!”
The Express Tribune tried to talk to all three of the parties involved. While Naveen couldn’t be contacted on her number, Azfar refused to comment on the matter and Salma too, was reluctant to share information due to the sensitivity of the matter. She is, after all, a mother who is trying to protect her child from what has become a vicious and unpleasant situation.
The silence of the subjects and the searing outcry of their admirers raise some questions. Should our celebrities’ personal lives be publicly scrutinised? The answer to this is not so black and white.
Celebrities should know that public scrutiny is the price of stardom and that sometimes, as much as they wish otherwise, they need to accept that once their lives are people’s property, they can’t expect fans not to be inquisitive or angry about the ups and downs.
Ideally for them, there should be boundaries to the kind of speculation and comments being posted online. But in reality and especially in the world of show business, the truth is that the audience makes or breaks celebrities. ‘Media couplings’ like Salma and Azfar allow people the right to peep into their life and live it with them. Take the example of any onscreen couple; be it veterans Saira and Rahat Kazmi or newbies Azfar and Salma, or even Mohib Mirza and Aamina Sheikh — all these couples have spent a considerable amount of time advertising themselves as products to generate public interest. People have endorsed them as celebrity couples to such an extent that their fans now feel they have the right to say whatever they want whenever something good or bad happens in the couples’ lives.
Once you are a celebrity, everything about you becomes entertainment. This could be said especially for people like Azfar and Salma who are known more for their dynamics as a couple than their achievements on screen. The reaction to Azfar, Salma and Naveen’s situation is unfortunate but one isn’t totally surprised. Celebrities should accept that their lives become a social circus as soon as they step into the limelight — they should have the courage to face the repercussions of fame.
(WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM NEWS DESK)
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2012.
COMMENTS (60)
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Monstrous i feel so sad for the poor ex-wife..really alarming for other women out there..Although there is no absolute cure for pathological dishonesty but as a prevention measure keep your men under a tight watch yet a soft hand ladies.
Bad bad bad. I am so disappointed to know that. I am sad because of salma and the small kid. And they made such a wonderful couple. they always seemed happy by the way. It shouldn't have happened.
azfar lost lots of thing after getting married to naveen, like good friend mani and many more things .
@zain: The biggest threat to married life is cheating men (and women) who no longer hold commitment and loyalty to their partner as important anymore. He's no little child who is incapable of making a sound decision. The onus was on him to remain loyal to his wife of 11 years. Stop pretending as if men are innocent little milk drinking babies incapable of bad behavior unless led to do so by a woman. Isn't that actually more insulting to men?
These days Girls r Preferring Married Men. example s r many :) Azfar Ali,boney kapoor,darmindar u Name them u got them :) i think after first marriage man s gets more mature thts why gals prefer married man or lolx they hv bank balance or more settled :) full package . and first marriage is NOT a full stop for man.4 abi baki ha mere dost :).if u lost yr first lv be second or third wife lolx
What a shame.
After 11 years of marriage.shame on azfar .he ditched salma after such a long time. Now he himself is a target of criticiam .sympathy for salma.bad girl naveen.she thinks life is a drama.
@Awaam: and what if the husband has decided to leave the old one? and if a wife doesn't want to share her husband it doesn't mean that husband break a decade long relationship just because now he wants to marry someone else.
The number of comments proves that it is a public affair. As far as my opinion is concerned, I believe, celebrities are role models for many, so they should behave like a role model. And in case of Azfar, who himself was fond of making critical comments on other stars with the notion that these stars are affecting our society, it's truly a public affair.
Azfar is entitled to having four wives, i just dont understand what the fuss is about?
Actors need to REALize the power of fiction.
Why is this such a big issue? Isn't a guy allowed maximum 4 wives in Islam?
i have only one thing to say" Was Naveen blind' she could have gotten so much better from life and she got Azfar who has no style in dressing or speaking.what was she thinking. Truely Love is blind.
@Farrah:
"I have had this feeling that most of the time what actors do on screen is what they are in real life." Hahaha. I HOPE YOU ARE JOKING!
A man can marry 4 times in his life so he has two more chances we hope to hear the third one soon.
He is eligible to get married two more times as per Islamic laws, what is the fuss about ? If women have no problems with this law why should others object. Is this a debate on righteousness and ethics ?
@FAISAL @BASIT SAEED
Dear Sirs, Before I express my point of you might I inform you that I am a male and hence 'entitled' to an opinion, I suppose. Why is it that people jump to Islam and God as a justification for polygamy? Kindly investigate the reasons under which polygamy is allowed in Islam before you leap on to your misogynist ideas and try to get God on your team as well. It is shameful. Although, I am not a fan of soul-mate relationships and neither do I fancy religions much but it brings me grief when kind people like yourself operate on such shallow levels. I mean my words in good faith and I hope they don't offend you.
@Samad Majeed: obviously it is accepted from both sides, point is why would a girl marry to a married person - it's more related towards ruining life of azfar;s wife. let alone boys problem, they would run after girls all the time.
i don't understand ..why built ur happiness on somebody's pain ?? ..if marriage is not working then part away from ur partner and then look for someone new ...not cheat ur partner in a committed relationship ..no matter which "team " u belong ... whether it is r right to discuss the matter or not...the simple thing is that a home was broken ... why ?? bec somebody just didn't stop when they know they were crossing the boundaries... man always come towards girls ..it is always in hand of a girl to say "no" . being a female we always know when somebody is trying to cross the lines with us ... n if guy is committed we can easily say "no." ...n those who say it is all about "Love" .. well why did u even let the situation come towards the point of love ???? the crossing lines are way before love...!!... azfar act is totally wrong ...n Naveen could have prevented it ... May Allah give strength to Salma ..n may a gr8 man enters her life..... today definition of love n lust has become one....
@Zafar Siddiqui: feel so sorry for you....just who do you think you are to be accusing Azfar on this. How do you know he betrayed his wife? What if the couple was genuinely not getting on since a very long time and Salma was at fault ? and then you talk about ethics and morals and men of today. Unbelievable !
Has Azfar actually divorced Salma? nothing mentioned in the article though. Well one should have expected a thing like that from Azfar considering he treats himself as a BUKRAAT of this generation.
@think if old one dont want to SHARE husband then????
We tend to worship the celebrities and expect them to be role models for the general public. Which is not right I think , cuz everyone has an individuality and free will to do anything. So many people divorce and re marry, I think what is important is not to cheat anyone. Such public outcry should have been there if azfar had started a secret affair with naveen and was not disclosing his intentions. Since he is married to naveen now. Lets give that a guy a break and move on.
@Faisal: i agree that 4 marriages are allowed in Islam for men but that doesn't mean leaving the old ones for the new ones until and unless there is a valid reason and some really serious issue.
I have had this feeling that most of the time what actors do on screen is what they are in real life. This has primarily proved here in the case of "loved to hate 'Naveen'". She been trying to be a house-breaker in drama, and she is always after 'married-men'. Can't she find any better man around her who are single and ready to mingle. As far as Azfar is concerned, I am not very hopeful even he will be able to keep up his promise with this wife. Both will come to senses very soon, guys! may Allah helps us all to stay out of wrong deeds. I understand this is their personal life, but we here are passing our thoughts and views which is our right to do!
honestly i don't care about what they did or what they'll do in future...i'm just worried about the child which has been dragged into this affair by these adults. Poor child. My sympathies with Salma and her child.
@Faisal: yeah agreed 4 marriages are allowed for men but that doesn't mean leaving the old ones for the new ones until and unless there is some serious issue.
Actually Ladies r real faulty.This is The Mind Set that Men r always Faulty..Why Naveen went for Azfar?.May Be Salma could'nt adjust with Azfar..And These days Girls r Preferring Married Men.
Did Salma and Azfar actually divorce or is Naveen his second wife....4 ppl have asked but no one has replied!! Does anyone know?
Azfar and Salma were married, it didn't work out. They got divorced, he remarried. What is the big deal here?
Guys,please stop criticizing either of the two in the couple. It is their personal life. Who are you to criticize them?
You missed Mani and his wife
I think this is the first time reading ET comments has left me pleasantly surprised. Thank you to all the guys who pointed out that the blame shouldn't solely fall on the mistress/second wife and that the man at the heart of the affair is as much to blame.
Today's love is cheap and temporary. Showbiz is ...arrghh never mind
what is shame full in that if god has allowed 4 wives and its not a sin and secondly obviously ots too personal and i think express tribune should have been careful
Mani broke this marriage.period!
it proves again that biggest threat to women married life is a women as in this case naveen did with salma
So What ?? Even he can go for 2 more weddings as Islam allows him to do so !! I fully support this decision !!
A man who can betray his wife of eleven years for a second wife,will betray the second wife for a third wife also.Women should remember this instead of living in denial that it can't happen to them.
Once you are a celebrity, everything about you becomes entertainment pretty much sums it up for me.Indeed a very mature take by tribune..good job Mr.Mhamood
Why is all the criticism for the second wife and none for the man who betrayed his first wife? Our society should learn to not always blame the woman.He is the one that made the choice to get a second wife,why don't we hold men responsible for their misdeeds ?
But bdw Why Azfar divorced Salma? :P
Very sad to see Azfar who a lot of guys in karachi looked upto betray his wife like this.It's shocking to see this happen,the men of today have no ethics,no morals.I feel sorry for Salma and the kid,what a bad example to set for one's kids by betraying their mother like this.
It's shameful what this man has done.He already has a wife and child,i saw them on some show a little while ago,he had a family,how could he go on and do something like this? I hope his first wife has enough self-respect and dignity to divorce him now after he has betrayed her.
Hell, love marriage for the second time :-O this is something really weird otherwise it is azfar's life... We don't know the story so we can't judge anyone , concluding a story just by looking at a single perspective so we can't blame anyone therefore let them live their lives ... NAVIN is married for the first time :-) she has our right to live ... Cheers people, Allah is there to judge , punish and reward everyone... :-)
woah!! pakistani misogyny on full display.She didn't 'break' anyone's house.Azfar is not a milk drinking baby that he didn't know what was happening to him when he remarried when he already had a first wife.Stop blaming the woman.Why is the man let off the hook completely?? He willfully married again and had a second wife.It's time our society made men take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming women all the time for the actions of men.
People spend too much time finding other people to blame, too much time to discuss others life
Celebrities should accept that their lives become a social circus as soon as they step into the limelight.. Nailed it!
this article is a reiteration of the fact that their marriage is a public affair. Probably it would have been best if you didnt write it. Its their private affair so why bother
No one has right to comment anyone's life and personal matters except if it is effecting society. Stars has only right to pass comments on their work.
He didn't really commit a crime, just jumped off a bridge for the second time!!
I agree, this is the price of being celebrities you have to pay. Fans do have a write to discuss and share their opinions however they must not abuse anyone.