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Criticising Bushra Ansari for being happy is as low as we can get

Criticising Bushra Ansari for being happy is as low as we can get

She posted a response but she didn't need to. Bushra Ansari doesn't owe anyone an explanation or justification.
05 Jul, 2021

Criticising someone for being happy is about as low as a person can get and this low was reached recently when a number of Pakistani internet users slammed Bushra Ansari for attending and dancing at a wedding.

Yes, you read that right. Ansari, the veteran actor, recently attended the mehndi of Shahmeer Shunaid, the grandson of Sultana Siddiqui, the head of the Hum Network. She was among a number of celebrities who attended the festivities and celebrated with the family. However, people seem to have an issue with her celebration.

A video of Ansari dancing with Azaan Sami Khan, the son of Zeba Bakhtiar and Adnan Sami Khan, was the subject of people's criticism. Apparently they believe that when you cross a certain age, your body should shut down and not allow you to have fun anymore. To sum up their criticism, they believed she shouldn't be dancing "at her age" and that since she once schooled Jannat Mirza on religion, she shouldn't be doing "un-Islamic thing".

Ansari responded to the hate in an Instagram post on Monday.

She began by talking about her grief at losing her sister Sumbul Shahid and said her loved ones insisted she attend the dholki as a way to get away from the stress and sadness.

"I just tried to be part of [Sultana Siddiqui's] "khushi" and got up for two minutes with my son Azaan to show my participation in their happiness," she said. Why we are asking a 65-year-old woman (or anyone for that matter) to justify her actions is beyond us.

"But sad to see people's reaction. They just want to see us unhappy because we are famous and specially when somebody is over a certain age. How pathetic," she wrote and we agree. It is pathetic to be so hateful that seeing someone else's joy makes you upset.

"I am telling you this is the best age to enjoy life when you are done with all your duties and Alhamdullillah I've achieved so much in this age, I don't have any regrets if I am over 60. So this is a cheap weapon of telling elders that you are old and you have no right to be happy. Why not?" Ansari asked.

"I don't understand why young kids feel insecure of older people. If this is the only flow being old, please change your thinking or treat your parents the same way and my comment about Islam was just about respect for other religions. God forbid if some body wears any symbol of our religion, how would we feel?

"Our kids shud know what does "cross" means," she said, referring to the Jannat Mirza incident. Mirza, a TikTok star, posted a video wearing a cross — a Christian religious symbol — around her waist as a belt. In response, Ansari said, "Aik dur fitteh mun to banta hai, in jaahil stars par afsos. Na Islam ka pata na kisi aur religion ka [curses are in order for these disappointing, ignorant stars. They don't know Islam nor any other religion.]"

"I'm not answerable to any faceless troller because they never leave any one even after wearing hijab. So stop hurting people it's also not allowed in Islam," Ansari wrote in her recent post.

Posting mean things on the internet is easy when you're hiding behind a nameless account or avatar. The people who post these comments seem to have little understanding — or don't care at all — that they're talking about real people. When you say something cruel about someone on the internet, it isn't lost in a vacuum — it may reach your victim. It's easy to be bullies sitting behind keyboards with little accountability and even less shame but people who post these mean things should remember that what goes around comes around.

Young trolls, you are going to grow old one day too and we hope your successors won't be as vicious as you, though we doubt they'll spare you either.

The only thing Bushra Ansari did wrong here was post this response — she is not answerable to anyone, least of all random internet trolls, and she didn't have to justify herself at all. She doesn't owe anyone an explanation for dancing at a wedding or anything else.

Comments

nk Jul 05, 2021 04:48pm
Ok! you are over 60 and still want to dance. Is dance the only way to get happiness. Also that Kubra Khan dance with too much exposure was also for happiness? Some of us act in unthinkable ways.
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Ejaz Baig Hunzai Jul 05, 2021 05:17pm
Faltoo Log
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Shahid Mahmood Jul 05, 2021 05:45pm
Now that it is out in the media, let me say, it just looked weird to see her dancing only 8 weeks after the death of her sister Sumbal Shahid. Of course, it was none of our business and people should have refrained from commenting but they did so firstly because Ansari had been unfair and abusive to a tiktoker Jannat, secondly because people connect with Sumbal Shahid, and lastly because it is a norm in our society that people generally do not just start dancing so close after the death of a loved one.
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ST Jul 05, 2021 05:51pm
@Bushra Ansari, there are some more sophisticated ways to show happiness. A point to ponder.
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SAk Jul 05, 2021 05:55pm
@nk your last sentence precisely says it all for a nobody like yourself. Besides a nobody like you is not qualified to judge our favorite and a legend Bushra Ansari. A million nobodies like you die when a legend like her is born.
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Say no to political correctness Jul 05, 2021 06:03pm
She could be impressed by Madonna. She's also in her 60s and simply refuses to age gracefully.
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Ahmad Jul 05, 2021 06:03pm
@nk shame on you to be the moral brigade. We don’t want people like you in our society.
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Naveed Khan Jul 05, 2021 06:24pm
I totally agree to the end comment that she doesn't owe anybody an explanation.
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truth Jul 05, 2021 06:37pm
U didnt commit any crime no need to give any explanations to the trolls , u owe them nothing
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Tuk Jul 05, 2021 06:42pm
She should not have brought religion in the conversation in first place.
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AJ Jul 05, 2021 07:08pm
Well-she did criticize someone else for morally reprehensible behavior. Shouldn't be surprised if people take her to task for dancing at a dholki.
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Ali Mehdi Jul 05, 2021 07:09pm
Not all that commented on you are young kids. Some are aged people who have seen you pass through decades of success. There’s no issue in being happy or successful. It’s you built an image that was so different than what you have now become. The viewers may have certain categories of artists or writers like samina peerzada haseena moin Fatima Surraya Bajiya anwar maqsood moin akhtar marina khan shehnaz sheikh etc. On the other hand we have reema resham naseebo laal nergis extras n etc. Over the years certain set of expectations were built of these personalities. Whilst some have progressed from the second group to the first group the others moved down from group one to group two. It’s not our fault to feel sad on our dear artists losing on their image. Really we never expected this from you.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 05, 2021 07:53pm
Bushra Ansari was just "herself" and "happy". She should not be bothered about low-life mentalities, clinging with the rotten walls of jealousy& closed mindedness. Appreciable that she could recover from grief& could share happiness of other people as a normal human being. Age is the problem only for mentally illiterate &sad people & pakistan is full of sad parasites.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 05, 2021 07:54pm
@nk who are you to judge and dictate her personal criteria of happiness?
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Chrís Dăn Jul 05, 2021 07:54pm
@Shahid Mahmood oh yes,she was supposed to ask you.
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M. Saeed Jul 05, 2021 07:55pm
Our people had an issue with Bushra's celebration because, they considered her joining the kids after cutting short her height by sawing off her heels.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 05, 2021 07:55pm
@ST and who are you to fix parameter for""sophistication"".
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Chrís Dăn Jul 05, 2021 07:57pm
@Say no to political correctness She is graceful. Are you Chief of those ever 20 years fake youngs calling all ladies"aunties"?
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Ali Jul 05, 2021 07:59pm
the media and celebs and writer of this article , seems have a disconnect with the society and norms we live in and by. if she can preach religion or culture to others , faceless trolls can say similar things to her too. live by the sword die by the sword.
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Parvez Jul 05, 2021 08:14pm
Agree.....
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Ehsan Jul 05, 2021 08:43pm
Bushra sahiba should not have even bothered to respond. All the best to her and hope she continues to flourish.
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Riaz Uddin Jul 05, 2021 10:22pm
I am very fond of Bushra Ansari she is a commendable Tv actress! But I honestly feel now that viewers are tired of watching her in young and energetic role because that actually do not match her age and shabby appearance! At least she should play the role that suits her advanced age ! She should voluntarily vacate or abandon young roles for juniors and new faces! The producers should cast her in the role corresponding to her old age! She is the most senior actress she is for character actor role.
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Iqbal Aswani Jul 06, 2021 12:16am
@Ali Mehdi The only rational and realistic comment.
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Javed Abid Jul 06, 2021 07:08am
None of anyone's business. Funny society.
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Adnan A Jul 06, 2021 07:18am
People have nothing better than to do than gossip.
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nk Jul 06, 2021 03:18pm
@Chrís Dăn It looks you are one great promoter of her but Mr. Dan I have known her since her younger days. She is just wearing a fake personality since her divorce and trying to show that she is still the young Bushra, Of course no Ansari in her life now. It is high time she should change her name too.
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nk Jul 06, 2021 03:23pm
@Ahmad Are you not one of the promoter of free speech. If you are trying to be on her side then try to digest some criticism too. As I told in another comment I have seen her very closely in her younger days.
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nk Jul 06, 2021 03:26pm
@SAk I accept her as a legend no doubt about it but I have had always saved my criticism for her too.
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Javed Khan Jul 06, 2021 07:25pm
She is an actress, ever thing is for show.
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kABEELAKHAN Jul 07, 2021 11:34am
@SAk Why do you think everybody has to agree with your point of view.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 07, 2021 11:33pm
@nk I am her fan and have watched her all major shows& dramas in decades. She is as spontaneous& as bold as she was 30 years ago. This is her real asset.
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