A day after director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy called Sonya Hussyn out for “dissing” Mahira Khan in a 2018 interview, the actor has hit back.
“Pulling one woman down while putting up another in full view of public and talking about upbringing!” Hussyn said in an Instagram Story.
“Besides, the pandemic has given too much extra time to some people to “dis” others by taking things out of context,” she said.
The post that started all the drama had recirculated comments Hussyn made in a 2018 interview. She appeared on the After Moon Show hosted by Yasir Hussain on August 12, 2018.
Asim Azhar and Hussyn were the guests for the episode and in one segment, they were asked to answer a series of questions by quickly choosing from the options presented to them. One of the questions Hussyn was asked was if she were Khan, which film would she not do: Verna, Raees or Ho Mann Jahaan.
Hussyn chose Raees. “Why, because you don’t want to work with Shah Rukh Khan?’ asked the host.
“No, never,” replied Hussyn. “It was never my dream to work with Shah Rukh Khan. My dream is that your character should be such that you are seen and you’re not just a side character to a hero,” she explained.
“Had I been asked for which of the films I’d opt for, I’d have chosen Verna,” Hussyn said in her recent post “Freedom of expression related to work is not disrespectful in any way.”
“Don’t think you’ll ever be Mahirah Khan so you won’t ever get to say no – don’t diss other women in the industry, [it] reflects poorly on you and your upbringing,” Chinoy had written in her comment.
Hussyn directly addressed that statement and called the director out for it. “Ms Chinoy, your choice of words, tone and tenor doesn’t behove Academy Awards Winner and lest you didn’t know, I have never aspired to be Mahira. She’s excellent and amazing in her own right and I am on my own journey,” she wrote.
Jumping to Hussyn’s defence was Feroze Khan, who also posted an Instagram Story on the issue. “I once saw this YouTube link where the woman she [Chinoy] made a documentary on [and] got her Oscars was complain[ing] she never paid her — while talking about upbringing,” he wrote. In 2012, Chinoy was sued by one of the victims whose narrative was recorded in her documentary saving Face for not fulfilling her commitment of providing financial compensation.
“Sonya Hussyn, these people don’t decide your destiny. Laik olad k saray baap hotay hain! [Everyone tries to parent capable children]” he said. “Stay strong.”
Recently, a number of celebrities came out in Hussyn’s support after Mathira accused her of bullying her. Though the women cleared up the “misunderstanding”, several celebrities posted messages in support of Hussyn’s character.
