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Aamir Khan applauds Dangal co-star Zaira Wasim, calls her his 'role model'

The young actor's recent meet with Jammu Kashmir CM caused furore among Indians which forced Zaira to apologise

17 Jan, 2017

Dangal star Zaira Wasim came under fire after a photo of her meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti surfaced on Saturday. She immediately apologised on social media saying, "I want to apologise to all those I’ve unintentionally hurt... I want to make it very clear that I do not want anyone to follow in my footsteps or even consider me as a role model."

The young actor regretted her 'recent actions' due to the state of unrest in Kashmir since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016.

However, her film co-star Aamir Khan was of a different opinion.

In a Facebook upload, the Bollywood actor stood up for Zaira and asked her critics to "leave her alone and respect the fact that she is just a 16-year-old girl"

He added that Zaira was in fact "a role model for kids not only in India, but across the world. You certainly are a role model for me!"

Zaira's apology post was widely shared by Indian news channels and publications after which she promptly deleted it and shared another note, which followed the same fate and was deleted.

"This post was not meant against anyone, just wanted to make sure that people were not hurt by what I was doing," she had wrote.

Comments

Good_Guy Jan 17, 2017 03:55pm

Amir Khan: Tussi great ho ! to come openly in support of a 16 year kid, without worrying about its ramifications. Hats off to you !!

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Asif Kashmiri Jan 17, 2017 04:08pm

Shame on those who didnt like her actions

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sATT Jan 17, 2017 04:10pm

The more you support her the more she will fear.Its better if you leave her alone.

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zakhta Jan 17, 2017 04:18pm

Bravo Zaira. I loved your role in Dangal and how you performed it. Be brave, you'll come across bullies throughout your career.

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saleem Jan 17, 2017 04:18pm

Now the Shiv Sena will be even more after AK!

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S Chatterjee Jan 17, 2017 04:28pm

I along with my wife seen the movie, a wonderful one. All roles including Zaira's role are laudable as she is talented , bright like other girls/women of earlier times such as Saira Banu, Nargis, Mumtaz, Sharmila Tagore, Meena Kumari and others. Unnecessarily this talented girl for her success is being criticized by fundamentalists which is deplorable. I feel entire people of J&K must boycott fundamentalists because they are enemy of the society. I am at 60 years of age wish her more and more laurels in her life.

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ahmed Jan 17, 2017 04:35pm

She is an exceptional young actress who happen to be kashmari , why social media and media making her life so hard.

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Hemant Jan 17, 2017 05:08pm

I am sure she is really talented person because she not only acted very well but also did academically well. I utterly ashamed that in an independent india there area where people are not able to live peacefully. Zaira, Whatever is your choice and opinion about India and people who hates india, as a fan I would always remain your fan and would look forward for more to come from you!

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Bluecollar Jan 17, 2017 05:08pm

This role model jingo is over played. Role models should be your parents, brothers,sisters and not to forget your teachers. Why a young girl who acted in a movie should be model ? Meaning every girl's dream a place in Bollywood ! Young Indian girls better look for the role model in other fields such as education, medicine, engineering and above all literature.

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AHA Jan 17, 2017 05:44pm

I hate extremists who don't even spare a teenager.

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ravi Jan 17, 2017 05:50pm

Is there any difference between Karan Johar's apology for hiring Fawad versus this young girl being forced to apologize? Extremists in any color, form, shape are just that. Get off the moral high ground. Each side of the border should know we are good at bringing the worse in us. God help the sub continent.

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Tariq Rashid Jan 17, 2017 06:11pm

And then they say Kashmir is their integral part then why so much hue and cry... the fact is kashmir is not integral part of India and they know it very well...

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faisal iok Jan 17, 2017 06:12pm

how many times did the champions of humanity speak against the blinding of 1000 children of kashmir hyprocrites!!!

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Iftikhar Husain Jan 17, 2017 06:19pm

Indian media and the government trying to exploit th situation Kashmir is a broken area by war and constant trouble. I feel sorry about the young lady.

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Shahzad Ahmad Jan 17, 2017 06:36pm

She shouldn't has apologized at first place. You gotta Have a care-a-damn attitude Lady. More power to you, Just Stop listening to people.

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Hamaad Jan 17, 2017 06:38pm

Support the Kashmiri youth that were blinded by the occupying Indian army.

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claude Jan 17, 2017 07:02pm

The article and some comments make it look as it is Indians who are against her role. It is local Kashmiri extremists who forced her to put out an apology. While all Indians not only applauded her but flocked in millions to see the film.

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Deepak Jan 17, 2017 07:05pm

She is a role model for not only India but for world for me ..

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yauqut khan Jan 17, 2017 07:15pm

@ahmed you people don't know about the situation in kashmir.don't brush up everything with fundamentalism.

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yauqut khan Jan 17, 2017 07:18pm

so much for proving that 'kashmir is integral part of india."indians are living in cookoland.

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Thoroughthinker Jan 17, 2017 07:22pm

Extreme inhumanity invites extra extreme reaction the inhumans call extremism.

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Lalit Jan 17, 2017 07:43pm

Intolerance !... anyone ?

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Mahmood Jan 17, 2017 08:32pm

This is called 'Courage of your Conviction! Well done Aamir Khan and Zaira!

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kumar Jan 17, 2017 08:33pm

Amir Khan is right. Please leave her alone

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pinky Jan 17, 2017 08:48pm

@saleem You should know that she is not being trolled by Shiv Sena but

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PSB Jan 17, 2017 08:56pm

@Tariq Rashid read the complete story brother. She is being bullied by extremist in Kashmir, and getting full support and love from Indians..

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P Setra Jan 17, 2017 09:42pm

One wonders as to whatever she did was so bad which was considered degrading for some people. Rather, the sentiments and thinking of those who felt offended by her actions are highly questionable. She is just a 16 year old, politics or anything formidable she could not affect.

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shokolokobangoshay Jan 17, 2017 10:32pm

@Hamaad Some Kashmiri youth are misguided by extremists leaders who live lavishly and their children are studying in foreign countries . Would be nice if they and their children are in frontline fighting .

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shokolokobangoshay Jan 17, 2017 10:33pm

@claude Bravo.

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Sana Jan 18, 2017 02:31am

@ahmed you are right those making her life hard are fundamentalists

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Sana Jan 18, 2017 02:33am

@Iftikhar Husain How is Indian media resposible

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skumar Jan 18, 2017 09:52am

the article seems misleading and confusing .. She was harassed by extremists and the entire country is supporting her including the left , right, centre etc.. ...we are all one in this

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Arti Jan 18, 2017 10:13am

Why can people not enjoy Zaira's work instead of politicizing it? Be proud of the girl, encourage her to do what she chooses well. May she have the courage to stand tall everyday of her life!

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Ramesh ahuja Jan 18, 2017 10:33am

Bravo

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Genghis Khan Jan 18, 2017 02:18pm

The role and acting of star Zaira Wasim in Dangal was fantastic. I understand she is from Kashmir. Not only Kashmir people, not only Indians, not only Muslims , everyone should welcome films like Dangal, and actress like Zaira Wasim, for the message they brought out that a Girl child is in no way inferior to boys and that girls also should be welcomed and treated at par with boys. I also wish that every girl become as tough as the role played by Zaira Wasim in Dangal..

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Genghis Khan Jan 18, 2017 02:26pm

Is it such a crime for a 16 year Kashmiri girl to meet and talk to the Chief Minister of Kashmir state? Rather the threatening and blackmailing her by the extremists is a big crime. My full support to her. I request every Kashmiri people to extend their support through these columns, at the least.

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D Patel Jan 18, 2017 04:11pm

Any sane mind would in such situation think that Zaira needed support of the masses against the fringe religious extremism that she faced with threatening comments on facebook calling her un-Islamic. Instead of asking people to speak up and stand by her side, why is Aamir asking people to leave Zaira alone?

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D Patel Jan 18, 2017 04:38pm

It is not at all surprising why there was NOT a single word condemning the fundamentalists who threatened the minor girl to the level that she was forced to publicly apologize for her incredible talent and choice of career. Aamir proves once again that he does not want to be a voice for the victims of religious fanaticism and want to remain apologist for the in-human acts of radicalism.

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jalaluddin s. hussain Jan 19, 2017 12:25am

As a Pakistani-Canadian, I must praise Zaira Wasim's excellent role in "Dangal". I watched the film in Montreal and liked it. In fact the whole team of "Dangal" did a good job. A superb treatment of a sensitive social subject made me proud as a human being. Keep it up, Aamir Khan Sahib!

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TruthSEEKER Jan 19, 2017 12:01pm

@Genghis Khan Dear Mr. Khan. I am truly moved by your sentiments. This is called true human spirit and fully in line with the ancient Indian civilization.

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