Veena Malik is one actress who has gained momentous popularity not just in Pakistan but also internationally via her notorious antics and irreverence which has made her into a household name. Love her or hate her, you surely cannot ignore her! Earlier, we counted down why you absolutely have to love Miss Meera Jee, (you can read that here.)
And now, we present to you a list of 5 reasons why Veena Malik so popular.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
# 5 – Her boldness
This sexy siren took the initiative of crossing over to the other side of the border and participating in a reality television show called Big Boss. During the course of the show she was subjected to the ordeal of confinement, fuming tempers and was made to scrub floors and cook for her house-mates. She breezed through the tumultuous time with élan using an ounce of humour and a razor sharp attitude. She entertained and how in her brawls with the show’s participants.
While Shilpa Shetty impressed the Brits with her poise, grace and patience in Britain’s celebrity Big Brother Show, Veena lit the small screen on fire in the British Show’s Indian counterpart , by being bold, catty and belligerent.
Though to be honest she was easier on the eyes too.
When one of the participants of the show asked her to wash her dishes a visibly irked Veena looked at him scathingly, rolled her eyes, twirled her curls around her finger and roared ‘ I’m RELAWXING’.
Veena played one participant against another, often instigating them like a true soap opera character giving the reality TV show entertaining twists and turns.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
#4 – Controversy’s favourite child
Veena Malik seems to be controversy’s favourite child. Whether it was her link-up with co-actor Babrik Shah or her torrid affair with cricket star Mohammad Asif, Veena attracted scandal like a moth to a flame. After a prolonged patch of terming her equation with Mohammad Asif a mere friendship, Veena finally came out with the confession that she had indeed been smitten by the young bowler’s charm. Following the announcement of Mohammad’s Asif’s marriage to an MBA student, a much hyped public altercation between the cricketer and the actress ensued. The Lollywood flame filed a lawsuit against Asif claiming she had lent him Rs.15, 000,000 due to his financial troubles which he owed to her. Veena also claimed that Asif had sent her cash cheques which bounced when she tried to cash them.
Maybe they were the same ones he got to deliver no balls?
During her stint in ‘Big Boss’ she bemoaned at having been subjected to repeated physical abuse at the hands of a purportedly psychotic Asif or in the golden words of Ms. Veena ‘A psychic Asif.’
It was a Bollywood or should we say a Lollywood saga of sorts. The plot thickened when the Veena-Asif drama was interjected by a third player by the name of Babrik Shah who claimed Veena was ‘his’.
Veena evolved as a damsel in distress often resorting to teary narrations of her tale of woes on numerous morning shows. People oscillated between laughing at her, sympathizing with her or just relishing a real live pot-boiler unfolding in front of their eyes.
In an interview to a private English channel Veena asserted categorically, ‘I make my own decisions in life. I’m a grown up girl now I am a ‘pre-mature girl.’ Well what can we say? Talk about hiding your age. This is just taking it to another level though! It even puts the purportedly 25 year-old Miss Meera Jee to shame!
____________________________________________________________________________________________
# 3 – Veena vs Mufti- The Mortal Combat
Possibly one of the most watched episodes of a talk show- the much talked about face-off between Veena Malik and a local cleric had viewers glued to the idiot box.
A show which was ostensibly designed to chastise Veena over her alleged immoral behaviour on ‘Big Boss’, was usurped by Veena with great dexterity.
She was placed in the unenviable position of being cornered by not just an obnoxious Mullah but a biased anchor. The clever lass fought back like a brave tigress for her dignity, while highlighting the ignorance and contradictions beleaguering our society.
Finish him!
She refuted each accusation with flawless logic and awe-inspiring boldness rendering the fire-brand cleric deflated and leaving audiences eating right out of her hands. Ms. Malik stood out as a unique example of a Lollywood actress who amalgamated beauty with brains.
In an environment of fear in which the Pakistani media and political set-up seemed to have capitulated to the self-proclaimed right wing bastions of Islam, Veena Malik proved to be a Knight in shining armour. Her biting attacks on the hypocracy and double standards of the Mullah sent ripples across the country’s media.
When lambasted for bringing shame to Pakistan by getting intimate with Ashmit she rebutted by saying ‘Why don’t you focus on issues of greater importance, like the terrorism which people from Mullah Community engage in or the accountability of religious clerics rape the very children they educate. Focus on the big picture please!’
When questioned over her flimsy attire in the show she shot back “I was representing Pakistan’s entertainment industry on the show. When our models and actresses wear short dresses in magazine shoots, fashion shows and films no one raises a finger at them.
Why is everyone labeling me immoral while the other girls are let off scot-free?”
The attention which this sensational interview garnered transcended international boundaries as it attracted the gaze of the foreign press including New York Times, Washington Post and Bloomberg. The young and educated strata of society celebrated a figure that had the guts to speak out her mind on contentious topics which were increasingly relevant in the socio-political climate of the country.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
# 2 – Her Looks
There is not denying the fact that Ms Malik oozes sex appeal. Her hour glass figure and dazzling looks turn many a heads. Moreover her bubbling confidence enhances the desirability quotient.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
# 1 – The Mimicry Artist
Veena’s Lollywood innings might not have made her a Lollywood star on par with the likes of Meera and Reema, but she did gain immense popularity through her mimicry work on television, notably on Geo’s exceedingly popular Hum Sab Umeed Say Hain.
Veena Malik’s impersonation of almost every personality imaginable which ranged from her colleague Meera’s linguistic and intellectual shortcomings to Madam Noor Jehan’s unique style of singing or Bushra Ansari’s nasal husky voice.
Her overwhelmingly humorous imitations have time and again proven her mettle at versatile acting.
Though it’s probably more so cause she’s smokin’ hot!
Syed Abbas Hussain is a graduate of the university of Kent, UK where he studied Politics and IR. He has worked as an Associate Producer for express 24-7, is a free-lance writer and a theatre actor.
Big Pen 
Leave a comment