'Dangal'-fame Zaira WasimWhen Zaira Wasim, the Kashmiri teen whose stellar performance in Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal posted an “open confession/apology” on her Facebook page Monday, she caught everyone by surprise. And then, barely a couple of hours later, as Twitterati wondered aloud what prompted the action and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah said she should not be pressured to apologize, Wasim just deleted the post!
A screenshot of the post
And then she added another post with an explanation that did not really make sense. And then, deleted that too.
A screenshot of the original post
It is as they say, a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.
Wasim never made clear what she was apologizing about but she asked not to project her as a role model for Kashmiri youth. So was she under pressure from Kashmiri separatists, or was she being trolled for meeting the state's chief minister Mehbooba Mufti last week? Was she under pressure from someone? We are as clueless as you are on this!
For the record, this is what Wasim wrote:
''This is an open confession/apology. I know that many people have been offended and displeased by my recent actions or by the people I have recently met.
I want to apologize to all those people who I've unintentionally hurt and I want them to know that I understand their sentiments behind it especially considering that what had happened over the past 6 months but I hope people can also understand there are certain circumstances that emerge which one cannot control and I hope people still remember that I'm a just a 16 year old girl and I hope you treat me accordingly. I'm sorry for what I did but it was not a deliberate decision and I really hope people can forgive me.
There are few more things which are very important and I want to clear them as well. The first and foremost thing is that I am being projected as a role model for Kashmiri Youth. I want to make it very clear that I do not want anyone to follow in my foot steps or even consider me as a role model. I'm not proud of what I'm doing and I want everyone, especially the Youth to know that there are real role models out there whether they be in this time or in our history.
To even consider me as a role model would be disgracing them and their disgrace would be OUR DISGRACE! I do not wish to start an argument here, this was a just a mere confession from my end which I really wanted people to know. May Allah bless us and guide us.'' (sic.)
Whoever her tormentors were, it definitely looked like an apology issued under pressure. While the overwhelming emotion from the whole episode is of surprise, one cannot ignore the lamina of sadness lent to it by her plea that she is only a 16-year old girl and should be treated as such.
In this age of rising intolerance, this seems to be another perfect example of intolerance directed against a young girl with some serious talent.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Omar Abdullah said Wasim should not be forced to apologise. "A 16 year old shouldn't be forced to apologise & that too allegedly for meeting @MehboobaMufti. What are we coming to!!!!!," he tweeted.
"I've a problem with @MehboobaMufti trying to usurp other peoples success to cover up her own failures but why punish/troll people she meets?," he added.
Reacting to her post, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said, "This is exactly what happened with the girls band Pragaash few months back and we saw what happeed to them. They had to pack up and they stopped singing. I see nor reason why this child had to come out and issue the statement. She must have been targetted, must have ben threatened."
Geeta Phogat also backed Wasim, saying she need not apologize or worry as she has not done anything wrong.
"I just want to say that Zaira shouldn't apologise. She didn't do anything wrong. Just like we have made our country proud by winning medals, she has done the same thing by playing my younger version in the movie. She did a lot of hardwork for that role and she played it really well.
"I've met her so many times during shoot, she is a very simple girl... I want to say to her family that don't be afraid about anything and just don't worry. We all are with them. The entire country stands with them. She is equally deserving like us and we all respect her from the bottom of our hearts," Geeta said.
