Veena Malik: from drama queen to squeaky clean

Veena shared her plans of eventually moving into politics and doing social work.


Veena’s husband Asad shares what attracted him the most about her was her outspokenness. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

LAHORE:


In her over a decade-long career as an artiste, Veena Malik has riveted people’s attention for many reasons — some good, many bad. But be that as it may, it only stands to reason that despite the detestation she has often received, she has sustained herself and more importantly, her love for her country. Following her return to Pakistan after three years, Veena recently held a press conference to introduce her husband Asad Basheer Khan Khattak and share her future plans.


Expressing her commitment to Pakistan and its people, Veena shared her plans of eventually moving into politics and doing social work. “I went through a turbulent and busy time in my life, but I suppose, distance made me realise how much I miss my people, friends and family. As the saying goes, distance makes the heart grow fonder,” she said.

Veena is inclined towards becoming a leader of the awaam and may venture into politics in the near future. However, she is in no hurry as she feels that becoming a politician requires time. She hasn’t joined a political party yet, but she wishes to join someone who has a positive vision. Underlining her avid interest in working for social welfare, she stated that she has recently been appointed as a goodwill ambassador for the International Human Rights Commission.



After Veena declared last year that she’ll be turning a new leaf, many wondered about her future course in films. She shared that she only wants to do good quality films that promote nationalism on a local and global level. She also implied that she might even produce films. On her singing career, she commented, “I am not going to quit singing.” Interestingly, we may even see Veena working on music with her husband, but she said that nothing is concrete yet.

Of the multitude of times she has been subjected to criticism by members of the local film industry including actor Shaan Shahid and filmmaker Syed Noor, she said, “In the past, there have been attacks on my personality and me as a woman. Being an individual with a global following, I [take the criticism in my stride] and believe that this shows how much people from all backgrounds love and respect me.”

Discrediting the prevalent rumours that followed her exit from the country, Veena claimed that she has always stood up for her country. Sharing her idea of a woman’s right to freedom of expression, she asserted, “I feel that freedom of expression gives me the right to speak for myself as an independent woman and in that capacity, I can say whatever I want, but when it comes to representing the country, it is different.”

Veena feels that her marriage has further strengthened her determination to pursue things that she is interested in. “Now that I have a partner with me who shares my interests, I think things will become easier for me,” she said. Asad shared that what attracted him the most about Veena was her outspokenness and clarified that her representation in the media does not reflect her true personality.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2014.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

COMMENTS (11)

freedom | 9 years ago | Reply

As a woman and a physician and a free spirit I admire her courage. I’m in control of my life, own my own house paid with money I personally studied and worked hard for. I will choose to marry the man I like to marry and I will divorce him when he is not treating me well. That said I am lucky enough to do so, being born in a family where developing my own identity was supported as for so many other girls this is not. Personally in Europe I would never act like her getting attention by showing too much skin. But showing natural beauty can never be wrong. Like you cannot prevent an apple tree too show its blossom in spring. You would scar the tree if you try to. She is the example what happens if people, in this case men, are deliberately trying too much to stay in control by suppressing others, in this case women. If you keep a bird in a cage you know the consequence is going to be that once the cage incidentally or deliberately opens it will get out and it will do everything that it was never able to do, to fly like never before. This also include the things that might be considered to be over the top. But how can you be angry with that when you have been taken its freedom for such a long time before. Also the women in Europe 50 years ago, bond to etiquettes created by religion, made a 180 degrees turn the other way around once they broke loose from the thoughts - and maybe even the indoctrination - of their parents or religion or both to only a decade later return to an in between average. Like every human being they will develop their identity by trying everything that life offers later on to decide whether it fits their own personality or not. People are born like an unwritten book in which the story should be written by life and life only and not by others or religion. I hope many women worldwide will follow her example to go out there, try what the world is offering and get in control of their lives to fulfil their own dreams and not live the lives obliged others. She had her blossom and she will hopefully teach her children, boy or girl, the same. Despite the lack of delicacy at some moments a great example she is.

sam | 9 years ago | Reply

Please ..give her few months or a year Tops... she will be back to her old self

VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ