While we love the fact that Pakistani celebrities are respected and valued by their fans-especially cricket stars- it’s important to remember that it doesn’t mean fans are allowed to invade anyone’s privacy. Former cricket captain Shahid Afridi addressed this issue as a guest on Vasay Chaudhry’s show ‘Gup Shab’ where he opened up about his distaste for fans who have crossed boundaries and invaded the privacy of his family. Boom Boom Afridi said he finds it unpleasant that fans make videos of him and his family when they go out.
But, Shahid said, it was disappointing to watch his family’s privacy further invaded when they were in Makkah for Umrah, sharing that it was disrespectful even for the people claiming to be a fan of the cricket player.
“When you’re going for your Umrah or Hajj with your family, your privacy is completely breached over,” Shahid noted.
“My wife does pardah. During Tawaaf, I have snatched phones from several people who were making videos. Even though I apologised to them afterwards, I have asked several times to stop making videos during that moment.”
The topic of fans crossing their limits and invading the privacy of celebrities, especially when they’re with their family members, is not new.
Cricket player Imam ul Haq spoke on Daniyal Sheikh’s podcast about an occasion when he was at a restaurant with his family. A few people shouted ‘parchi’ at him. This bullying has gone to the point that his family members no longer attend his matches, in fear of being heckled by the attendants.
“They really want to come and watch me play, but I’m just scared- this is the first time I’m talking about this. But when I’m standing on the boundary, I don’t want my mother to listen to the taunt ‘parchi’ in the stadium. If I was batting and I was out, it wouldn’t matter if I had played better before or not, while going back I would hear taunts of ‘parchi’.”
READ MORE: Here’s why cricketer Imam ul Haq’s parents don’t go to his matches
Previously, actress Romaisa Khan slammed nurses who approached the ‘John’ actress for photos when she was in tears and praying for her mother’s recovery in the ICU, an act she recalled as “insensitive” in a detailed post on Threads.
READ MORE: ‘So unethical’: Actress Romaisa Khan slams fans for requesting selfies in ICU
“Some people are so insensitive,” lamented the ‘John’ actress on her Threads account. “I know we are public figures but not public properties, so it’s unethical that my mom is in the ICU screaming in pain almost fighting for her life and where I am crying and praying outside and nurses literally making videos and asking for a selfie.”
So please remember that while it is natural to have immense respect for a public figure’s talent and skills, fans should also remember to respect the privacy. Celebrities are only in the public spotlight as a job, and it doesn’t give any fan the right to treat their entire existence as a public affair.
