Life & Style

Begum Nawazish Ali to sort out matters with Shiv Sena

The TV personality is set to have a few words with Shiv Sena, who are targeting him for featuring in "Bigg Boss 4".

Ians October 25, 2010

NEW DEHLI: Ali Saleem, better known as Begum Nawazish Ali, fails to understand why the Indian political party Shiv Sena was targeting him and fellow Pakistani Veena Malik for featuring in “Bigg Boss 4”.

“I just fail to understand why Shiv Sena did what they did. It came as a surprise because we (Saleem and Veena Malik) came here as guests. We were invited and the least we expected was hospitality from the Indians,” said Saleem, who was evicted from the Bigg Boss house in the episode aired on Friday.

The Shiv Sena earlier held protests at Lonavala, a hill station near Mumbai, where shooting for the reality show was on, demanding the removal of Saleem and Malik from the show on Colors channel.

“I really respect Bal Thackeray-ji and though I don’t know what the reason is but I would really want him to invite me for a cup of tea and sort out the matter in a mature manner. I just want to let him know that I’m not a threat to India,” he added.

Saleem, a cross-dresser, says the Bigg Boss house was a platform to test his patience.

“I’m happy to be back in the real world. The experience in the house was par excellence. Nobody can imagine the life that one has to live, the show is shear reality; an unpredictable platform for the contestants and also for the viewers.

“It’s a hard life inside those four walls. I have never lived under such restricted circumstances. In my world, I have been a ‘spoilt begum’. I have spent three very peaceful weeks in the house which has left pleasing memories but I feared that if I would have stayed a little longer I would have burst out because I was reaching my saturation point,” said Saleem.

So, who is playing dirty politics in the house?

“If I have to name, it will be Sameer Soni, Manoj Tiwari and Shweta Tiwari. These are the three contenders who are trying to dirty the atmosphere. However, their politics have still not been harmful for any of the housemates,” he said

Saleem also revealed he is in awe of former dacoit and contestant Seema Parihar.

“I’m fond of her. Seema-ji is one of the most honest and crystal clear characters on the show. She is upfront and is not at all ‘dhongi’ (pretentious). She is my first favourite in the house. And she also has a strong chance of winning the big race.

“To add to the list, the latest entry of ‘The Great Khali’ has been refreshing for the contestants. And I think he will have a strong hold on the audiences’ mind,” he said.

“Bigg Boss 4” is being shot at a house in Lonavala, and began on October 3 with 13 contestants in a house without any communication with the outside world. The contestants are under constant camera surveillance. Ten contestants now remain on the show after three weeks.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (22)

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply @Amna, "Who told you I watch Indian TV???" Ofcourse you dont! How wrong was I. You didnt have to ask "An old Indian buddy" about it, you could have switched on the TV and seen it yourself or ask someone of the many Pakistani housewives who watch Indian TV about it. "They don’t invite them in for nothing, they have their own self-interests…we are talented and we are badly wanted for that!!! Thanks for appreciating our talent! " --> Every Industry in the world does things for profit. Film making and TV are no different. I meant to compliment the talent available in Pakistan. The percentage of artists in a country is same same all over the world. The local culture has to evolve and provide a platform for them to earn a living off of it. "However, our talent has many other platforms and they are already well known celebrities even before they step into your TV or movie industry." --> Celebrities in Pakistan maybe. They cant even dream of making as much money in Pakistan as they can in a single stint as in India. That is the real reason they come here, amidst all the abuse from inside and outside Pakistan. Artists too have a shelf life and they can achieve all they can in India, not Pakistan. Doing a low paying jobs in Pakistan is nothing compared to the way India treats its artists. That is the reason India is the cultural juggernaut it is. No complaints here. Hollywood too gets some of its best talent from outside(Nicole KIdman, Jackie Chan,etc) but nobody calls their movies Australian or Chinese do they. Those movies will always be American Movies. Similarly with India. Though India doesn't need Pakistani artists for its industry it'll certainly add another flavour and increase its value. Also, if a Sri Lankan or a Nepali can come and act and sing in our movies why cant Pakistanis? We should not ban artists from any country. Pakistan is just another country. Infact, we should encourage those artists into settling in India. We should make sure the money they earn stays in India. Pakistani artists are so easy to persuade, actually. Look at that Ali Zafar guy. He wants to make Mumbai home after doing just one movie! Lol..

Amna Tariq Shah | 14 years ago | Reply @Anoop Who told you I watch Indian TV??? I wonder if we even get them in Pakistan or not. At least I haven't ever seen one in my life. An old Indian buddy told me about the BIG BROTHER Show on Indian TV so all I know about it is through her. It is true that India produces movies and TV shows where Pakistanis are invited to work but this is also true that our talent helps them boost their profits. They don't invite them in for nothing, they have their own self-interests...we are talented and we are badly wanted for that!!! Thanks for appreciating our talent! However, our talent has many other platforms and they are already well known celebrities even before they step into your TV or movie industry.

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Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply @Amna Tariq Shah, Atleast India produces a host of movies and TV shows where Pakistani artists can show their talent. FYI, Veena Malik,a Pakistani is still there. Thank you for watching Indian TV.

Amna Tariq Shah | 14 years ago | Reply @Anoop if you guys are so liberal and you can provide so many opportunity to artists, then why has begum been evicted so soon??? Duh!

Amna Tariq Shah | 14 years ago | Reply I kinda found him amusing and entertaining before but I hate him now after what he said in one of his interviews in India. Take a look: “I saw no logic behind this kind of a protest. I didn’t choose to be born in Pakistan. It’s something that just happened to me. If I was born in Mumbai, I’d have been an Indian. Sixty-three years ago we were one nation." What does this mean, mr or miss nawazish???? You regret to be born here or what? I didn't like these words and there is one more part. Take a look: "At the moment Pakistan is plagued with problems and entertainment is not a priority there. I am an entertainer and India can provide me with lots of work. When I come to India, I don’t come as a Pakistani. I come here as an actor. If I get work, of course I’ll return." Sounds like you are dying for work! Who gave you this fame by the way???? PAKISTAN, right??? The interview bits have been taken from: http://dailymailnews.com/1110/05/ShowBiz/index.php?id=4

Rana Amjad | 14 years ago | Reply Ali, We Love You!

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply All the people who are commenting here are hypocrites. If they had some musical talent or something they would not mind much going to India to earn some big bucks and even fame in both the countries(Anyway they dont many avenues of earning in Pakistan.). But, they are not musicians by living are they. They dont have this overwhelming urge to make a living by Art or this ego-satisfying need to earn fame. All they did was participate in a TV show. Grow up. People in Pakistan criticize the heck out of America(more than they criticize India according to some polls) but dont mind going there for a Holiday if they can afford it or send their children to study there, despite growing anti-Pakistan sentiment. All the people who are gunning for Shiv Sena, might I remind you that what they practice is,what I call, mob politics and compared to the right-wing nutcases that are in Pakistan, they are cuddly-wuddly Teddy bears. Might I add that I despise the Shiv Sena and the kind of Politics they practice. Even the people of Maharastra hate them. No wonder they have not been in power for a long time.

Masroor | 14 years ago | Reply well said Asmat Jamal, I second you. @ Ali saleem This is prohibited in islam for a man to seem like woman & vice versa, go to any religious scholar of any sect & ask. This is also shameful for us that you are representing pakistan.

Rizwan T Khan | 14 years ago | Reply @Muyyu Use common sense and you will figure it out.

Mohammed Abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply If ever there was an Empress of a United Pakistan-India it would be The Begum

muyyu | 14 years ago | Reply @Rizwan T Khan And how do you define "Men"

Rizwan T Khan | 14 years ago | Reply This guy (a cross-dresser) is simply a disgrace not only to this nation but the whole "Men" of the world.

Kabir | 14 years ago | Reply "Eviction" of participant is not an insult; it is a normal occurrence on this show. One has to understand showbiz. Everything that happens is scripted and planned in advance. It is elementary that controversy is good for TRP of the Channel. But for it would anybody have been discussing this stupid show at all? Cable operators in some suburbs of local Mumbai suspended the show for a few hours but DTH has gone on uninterrupted & it gained new customers. In rest of India there was only curiosity and no resentment against any participants.Wonder how much the Channel paid Shiv Sena for creating this controversy!

Abulfazl Mahmud | 14 years ago | Reply The truth is between the two extremes. Honestly, forming a rational and appropriate attitude about Indians is a formidable task under any circumstances. There is perhaps no Indian whom we can describe as an average Indian. If ever there were a species of that nomenclature he or she would be informed (or misinformed) mostly by a by and large biased media. Pakistani media is biased too in a haphazard way. The Indian media is biased in a calculated and articulate style and is therefoer more subtle and can easily deceive. There are some honourable exceptions (there always are) but exceptions prove rather than disprove the rule. The common folk in India have very little else to refer to. They are given to believe that Pakistanis harbour terrorists against India (not the complete truth). They are not told that India practices state terrorism in Kashmir, in Pakistani Balochistan and wherever possible elsewhere in Pakistan. The experience of Ali Saleem is not unique. In fact such experiences are common especially where the RSS family has some sort of a nexus (and if something is happening in Mombai the RSS connection is almost a foregone conclusions). I have had experiences of Indians and not bad ones at all. But they were from Punjab. They are a unique specimen altogether. All one can deduce is that one cannot generalize.

Rohit | 14 years ago | Reply I am from Mumbai and wish to tell you that Shiv Sena is a right wing hindu party. All the issues that happened in Big Boss 4 is just posing.

R.Raheem | 14 years ago | Reply Ali, We are so proud of you & I agree you should meet Bal Thakeray Jee & explain it to him that general public of Pakistan is for friendship with India. It will clear misunderstandings between two nations & communities. We loved your act on Big Boss. R.R

Noreen Shams | 14 years ago | Reply when these artists get their(INDIANS) real point?

Asmat Jamal | 14 years ago | Reply What a shame. A man who is ashamed of his own identity will now make the identity of the Nation. I am surprised that some leading political figures show up on his programmes and in some cases passes oblique remarks also. His programmes should not be shown on family and news channels. Ali Saleem or whoever he is, is a shame for the country

Ghulam shabbir | 14 years ago | Reply This is a lesson for those so called open minded and moderns who always says people of India loves us and we feel no difference in Pakistan or India. These shiv sena kind of people are poisonous! They don't know how to behave with guests even if those were children. It is the same people who targeted the young Pakistani participants of a reality tv show CHOTY USTAAD. It is a mentality that exists in majority of the Indians. We should be aware of the fact that India has not accepted US as a sovereign state and still they considers us ( MUSLIMS) as foreigners. I can bet that if Bal thakery visits Pakistan he would also be welcomed and no one ask him to leave the country. It is our tradition that even when our enemy come to us as a guest we respect him.

prasad | 14 years ago | Reply Great colourful character. Though the bit about respecting Thakeray beats me. If you have read one of his hate-spewing editorials in his newspaper Samna you would know what I am talking about. He makes Zaid hamid look and sound extremely tame. He is the saffron version of Hamid gul.

Uzi Khan | 14 years ago | Reply Whenever this character is mentioned i wonder why couln't he get something out of his life staying in his own shoes and who gave him the status of celebrity. Why are we Pakistanis dying to get some fame and fortune in the neighbouring country.

k | 14 years ago | Reply Who asked you to go India? Don't you know the realities? Why Pakistani artists use to go India again and again despite the insult they have to receive there? Pathetic.

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