Kaaf Kangana has been making the rounds on social media ever since it’s trailer went viral for its…quality.
Before the hype could die down, Neelum Muneer’s dance performance on the track ‘Khabon Mai’ brought the spotlight back, especially with the actor’s defence for taking on an item song because “this movie is a project of ISPR”.
DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor also defended the track when called out for it, but it looks like it didn’t pan out the way he expected it to:
While he clarified that the song does not take place at GHQ as implied by the Twitterati saying, “(GHQ is at Rawalpindi, not Islamabad) nor of an event organised for ISPR as such,” it was his defence of the item song that struck the wrong chord.
“The item song is by an Indian girl in the movie as per her role, you may watch movie to know the context.”
The comment is confusing (at best), as it doesn’t really absolve the movie of objectifying a woman – that too with some extremely uncomfortable and derogatory lyrics – and implies that it is okay as long the the actor – who is still Pakistani – is playing an Indian.
How about we don’t sexualise and objectify women at all, regardless of their nationalities? And perhaps it would be a good idea to not inject the politics of war and conflict into every debate.
Given the brevity of Twitter, a statement such as this could also be interpreted by many to mean all song and dance are inherently bad i.e. “If the enemy does it…” and the classic, “Not our culture”.
Song and dance has always been a part of desi movies – and that in itself is not a bad thing. But when we already live in a society that doesn’t respect women, these ‘item’ numbers catering to the male gaze do no one any favours. Of course, that point really wasn’t made here.
