Dour actor Iffat Omar replied back to a netizen on her Instagram handle who trolled her for wearing sleeveless as she criticized the choice of fashion of fellow female celebrities at the Hum Style Awards, earlier this month.
Earlier a troll commented under a picture posted by the Aangan diva in which she is posing with Bushra Ansari, Saba Hameed, Samina Ahmed, Ayesha Omar, Arjumand Rahim and Angeline Malik. To which Iffat replied, “Obviously someone with no id and followers can’t utter shit like this.”
Famous Pakistani host and actor, Iffat Omar has clarified what she meant by a comment, which was severely criticised by netizens from across the border on Friday. The actor mistakenly wrote “wow” on an Indian portal post which announced the death of veteran Bollywood actor Surekha Sikri.
Elle India took to Instagram to announce Sikri’s demise. The actress passed away at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest. She had also survived two strokes in the last three years. Surekha Sikri was one of the most prominent names in the Indian cinema and television industry.
Omar commented on the post, saying: “Wow wow wow,” with a ‘fire emoticon’ which caused an uproar in India, with many people calling it insensitive.
Iffat clarified that her comment, “It was just a mistake, I just saw the picture and found it so graceful that immediately commented and as soon I realised I apologised,” said Omar while exclusively talking to The Current. She had not realised or read that the Bollywood actor had passed away.
The Family Front actor also shared the screenshot of her clarification comment with us in which she wrote: “(Oh My God) OMG just read the post. RIP (Rest In Peace) remember her since Bunyad days.”
While the majority called her out, a few mentioned how this could be a misunderstanding, and the actor might have shared a comment without reading the caption.
Senior actress and former model Iffat Omar responded to a fan’s comment in which he asked the Laal actress about her absence at the Hum Style Awards. Iffat made it clear that she will never be a part of something hosted by an alleged harasser.
The Meherposh diva also criticized the fashion sense of the celebrities who attended the Hum Style Awards.
Earlier, Meesha Shafi lashed out on the HSA’s jury for nominating her despite getting on board a host with harassment allegations on him. The ceremony was hosted by Urwa Hocane and Ali Zafar.
Iffat Omar has promised to get 10 people vaccinated after jumping queue to get vaccinated herself at Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema’s residence in Lahore. The model-turned-actor also admitted her fault and apologised for her actions after receiving a barrage of criticism and backlash.
Responding to a social media user, Omar said that not only will she forgo the second dose, but she will also get 10 people vaccinated.
When the user told her why he was angry over her actions, Omar said: “I regret and [am] really ashamed but I will fix it.”
“Please accept my forgiveness,” she added.
The model further made her intentions clear by responding to other users and asserting that she will get 10 deserving people vaccinated against the virus.
Omar had come in the line of fire after a video of hers receiving the COVID-19 vaccine at Cheema’s residence went viral on social media with netizens accusing her of jumping the queue to get vaccinated when more deserving citizens still have to wait. At the time, only those aged 60 and above could avail the free vaccine under the government drive, while those aged 50 could get registered for a shot and there was no commercially available vaccine against the coronavirus in Pakistan.
The minister had initially denied accusations of jumping queue and claimed that a team from the University of Health Sciences (UHS) had arrived at his residence to administer a ‘booster shot’ of a ‘trial vaccine’.
The minister said the same team had earlier administered the first dose of the trial vaccine to his family at their residence.
Meanwhile, Omar at that time had told people to “take it easy”.
In a now-deleted tweet, the model had said that she received a booster shot of the Chinese vaccine CanSino. However, Pakistani Twitterati had called her out on the claim, pointing out that CanSino was a single-dose vaccine and does not require a booster shot.
After a barrage of criticism, Iffat Omar has admitted her fault and apologised for jumping queue to get vaccinated.
“I am sorry. I am ashamed. I apologise from the bottom of my heart. I will repent,” wrote the model-turned-actor on Twitter.
Omar had received harsh criticism after pictures and videos of her getting vaccinated for coronavirus went viral on social media with netizens accusing her of jumping the queue to get vaccinated when more deserving citizens still have to wait.
At the time, only those aged 60 and above could avail the free vaccine under the government drive, while those aged 50 could get registered for a shot and there was no commercially available vaccine against the coronavirus in Pakistan.
In the video that was widely circulated on social media, Omar was seen getting vaccinated alongside Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema and other relatives of his at the minister’s residence.
Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema supervises the Covid-19 vaccination of his entire family – at his home pic.twitter.com/hpZ681frMF
Cheema had initially denied accusations of jumping queue and claimed that a team from the University of Health Sciences (UHS) had arrived at his residence to administer a ‘booster shot’ of a ‘trial vaccine’.
The minister said the same team had earlier administered the first dose of the trial vaccine to his family at their residence.
Meanwhile, Omar at that time had told people to “take it easy”.
In a now-deleted tweet, the actor had said that she received a booster shot of the Chinese vaccine CanSino.
However, Pakistani Twitterati had called her out on the claim, pointing out that CanSino was a single-dose vaccine and does not require a booster shot.
Naumaan Ijaz, who is popular for his unfiltered take on the Pakistani drama industry, has found himself at the receiving end of criticism after an old interview of his went viral on social media. In the interview, the actor talks about cheating on his wife and getting away with it because he is such “a great actor”.
When host Iffat Omar asks Naumaan the secret behind his successful marriage, Naumaan said that he is very lucky as far as his wife is concerned.
Iffat then remarked that artists are ‘aashiq mizaaj log‘ and asked Ijaz if he ever felt his heart waver, to which the actor replied, “Multiple times”.
“But then how do you control it; know your limits,” asked Iffat.
“I don’t control it,” laughed Naumaan in response. “I fall in love daily. I am a very loving person. If I come across a woman who is beautiful inside out and has a difficult personality, I fall in love with her.”
“Toh phir aap karletay hain ishq,” questioned Iffat.
“Main karleta hoon ishq,” said Naumaan, adding that his wife doesn’t find out because he is such “a great actor and an intelligent man.”
When Iffat probed further and asked about the reaction of those he gets involved with, Naumaan said that they know and reciprocate but their husbands don’t find out.
“I need to learn a few things from you,” chuckled Iffat in response.
Naumaan with his wife and son
Later, while discussing the #MeToo movement, Naumaan said that this movement has arisen because “we have distanced ourselves from deen (religion).”
Soon after the clip went viral, social media users slammed the actor for endorsing infidelity and passing misogynistic comments.
In the same interview, Noman Aijaz supported Mohsin Abbas and rubbished the allegations (with pictures as evidence) levelled against him by his wife Fatima of severe domestic violence. I wonder how Noman’s wife is content with his hypocritical personality.
Also, Nauman Ejaz, how are you great actor when even your face tells youre a tharki and have all the boxes ticked for being a cheat which you already are. https://t.co/hk5ZvuwQTh
Ok honestly no words- this man who openly cheats and probably harasses young women is saying women calling out predators like him goes against religion. But you cheating is ok. This is disgusting and so sad that these ppl are given a platform.
Noman Ijaz has only exposed the thinking espoused by a large majority- men don’t see anything ‘fahaash’ or vulgar in cheating on their wives, but as soon as outspoken women talk about their rights, it automatically becomes against cultural values. Mental perversion at its peak.
Some social media users also called out Iffat for not handling Naumaan’s comments in an appropriate manner.
Iffat doesnt challenge him in anyway, instead she says with a nervous giggle I need to learn from you . Im not holding her responsible but surely there were better responses ?
Ushna Shah has often found herself in the middle of some controversy or another.
In a recent interview with Iffat Omar, the actor opened up about speaking her mind and being at the receiving end of trolls and hate. Later, she expressed her thoughts on the same topic on social media and said: “I have forsaken the dignity a celebrity must maintain and clarified/responded to each tweet/thought that has bothered the world so much. I’ve answered all the burning questions that have propelled hundreds of headlines. From your pizzas to your singers. I will speak on these no further. I have answered all “controversies” for them now and for the future.”
She continued: “I refuse to become a performer off-screen. I refuse to give up my right to express myself as a human and not a manufactured machine. I am dheet (stubborn) because I will continue to tweet/say what I believe is my right (as long as it is not discriminatory or hate speech, something I have never stood for).”
“I do not want to pose a facade of perfection because I am far from it, and very happily so,” added Ushna.
“I don’t know how to be anyone else off-camera, that is another career on its own. That is a talent I do not possess,” she said. “It breaks my heart that I have already had to hide so many aspects of who I am just to fit in.. an example being my Canadian accent (I’ve changed it so often over the years that now it feels like another language which I speak when I’m outside the Pakistani industry or circles). I used to dance in school, I’ve been afraid to do so here, why? I am an artist, it is my art. I’ve always feared that my liberal, as well as foreign upbringing, would paint me as a bad person or my family as bad people, they’ve feared that also.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCeAncGB4Pn/
In a successive post, the actor said that she is “bowing out of this circus”.
“What I want; what’s most important to me, is to create art. So for the countless hits, the spicy gossip, and the drawing-room discussions my name has entertained you with off-camera… you’re welcome. I have paid my dues, I’m bowing out of this circus,” wrote Ushna. “Now please, let me get back to work.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCflFhiBYMc/
While Ushna has received praise for her performances in dramas such as Balaa and Bewafa, her unfiltered thoughts on various topics have made headlines more than her work.
In a recent Twitter update, the model turned talk show host, fired some shots after she told Pakistani industry to focus on nepotism in their own backyard instead of sharing news of “coffee in Karan in hot water”.
“Ever wondered how many actors we have in our industry?” questioned Omar.
Pakistani industry artists sharing news of coffee in Karan in hot water but darlings what about the #nepotism in your own backyard? Kabhi socha hay hamari industry me adakar kitne hayn?
Following the untimely death and suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput, audiences and fans are lashing out at Bollywood bigwigs for endorsing star kids and not giving the same number of chances to ‘outsiders’. Koffee with Karan, in particular, has come under fire, because of the catty and insensitive remarks that are occasionally passed on the couch. Moreso, Karan Johar’s production company, Dharma Productions, usually launches these star kids placing the director in the direct line of fire.
Iffat did not elaborate her tweet further, but we wonder what sort of nepotism she is referring to. Because, in the Pakistani entertainment industry, star kids are a rarity.
