Nov 21, 2005 03:57 PM
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(Updated Nov 21, 2005 04:07 PM)
In an year or so, Sania Mirza’s popularity graph has risen to the level of the Sachin Tendulkars and the Shahrukh Khans. This is no small feat considering she is still a teenager while the other two have left their youth far behind.
With some gutsy tennis (31st ranking in the world), pretty looks and a bold attitude she has made her mark on the world stage in a big way. She has brought fame & glory for India. She has become the new youth icon. She has become an inspiration for a community whose girls are often restricted to the burkhas and purdahs.
So, what does she get in return? Fatwas, ash of her publicly burnt photographs & criticism for the length of her skirts. Well done people!
The recent pre-marital sex controversy involving Sania and tamil actress Khushboo is quite atrocious to say the least. It all started when Khushboo quoted in an issue of India Today, that pre-marital sex is very normal and she didn’t find anything wrong with it. I’m not going to go off-topic here by debating whether pre-marital sex is fine or not, but what’s the big deal if Khusboo made such a statement?
India is democratic country where everyone has the right to voice his/her opinion. If a guy like Mahesh Bhatt or Emran Hashmi would have made this statement, they would have been called bold and frank. But if a lady like Khusboo says something on similar lines, she is being declared immoral with chappals being thrown at her. How can India shine, with so much gender bias still prevalent not just in the villages but in metro cities as well?
The whole controversy got fuel in fire when it was reported that Sania backed Khushboo in this matter. I don’t think I have heard Sania make any such remarks on TV and in fact she came out with a statement the next day, that she is against pre-marital sex.
But some of the so-called traditionalist and self appointed moral police officials, went ahead calling her a bad muslim and burning her photographs publicly. Firstly, Sania didn’t make any such statement and secondly even if she did, I think at least the youth icon of our country must feel free to express himself/herself without feeling the terror of a gunpoint on every remark or every action.
Let her concentrate on her game and let her bring pride to the nation. Keep the politics only within the political parties. As former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga recently remarked, “India must learn to respect its heroes”. They are already very few in number and maybe that’s the reason for it. The media and to an extent even the public gets an ego boost in trying to ridicule someone of a heroic stature. Recent example – Saurav Ganguly.
Khusboo and Sania Mirza were just scapegoats, so that some so called traditionalist and politicians could publicize themselves by spitting venom on them, for their own selfish interests. I hope at least the media and the public would be able to see behind the curtains and support a 19-year-old girl who is a true Muslim and a true Indian by every aspect. She can’t after all play tennis wearing a burkha, can she?
