Kudos to Ali Zafar for coming out in staunch defense of Mahira Khan, and every woman who chooses to lead her life the way she sees fit. We just wish a few brave men this side of the border had stood up for her too…

When a woman is branded a sinner and pelted with stones, even if they be of the virtual kind, it requires a fearless voice of reason to rise up above the baying and sound a note of sensibility and decency. Ali Zafar has been that lone knight who has dared to call out the mob.

While images of Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor smoking together went viral in milliseconds, the initial reaction was a nudge-wink confirmation that RK had evidently found himself a new squeeze. It wasn’t long though before the hate started to pour in. Vicious, savage, merciless outbursts all echoing ‘Shame on you, Mahira!’ From her choice of outfit (“Kaise kapde paheni hai es ne be haya!”) to the cigarette in her hand (“Toba toba be sharmi ki intihaa”), to the extent of labelling her a blot on the name of her religious community, the hate has been relentless.

It took a brave man, who shares Mahira’s nationality, religion and profession, to stand up and tell the haters it was they who were way out of line. In an open letter to Mahira shared on his Intagram page, Ali Zafar asks…

“What has happened to us? Have we lost all our sense of sensibility? Must we gossip, intrigue and the self appointment right of judgement over restrain, grace, intolerance and compassion? “Every woman has the right to make her own choices in life (as long as she’s not hurting anyone else) just like we men do. “How we react defines our own character. Choose wisely, for we SHALL be judged.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZVYwxIn5vB/?hl=en&taken-by=ali_zafar

A reply that makes a statement on multiple levels. Yes, we have lost our sense of sensibility – that’s if we indeed ever had any. Hiding behind the anonymity of the virtual world, we blatantly allow our worst side to emerge. Our prejudices, our hate, our double standards, flaunted as if they were proud badges of honour. To dishonour all we disagree with, is our new birthright. Compassion is for cowards.

Zafar believes in the freedom of choice for women. That Mahira has as much right as a Ranbir Kapoor to choose to puff on a cigarette. Misguided fool. The rules for men and women have been different over thousands of years; nothing changes just because it’s the 21^st century, buddy!

A woman who bares her back while smoking with a man, who is not her husband, deserves scorn and worse. In the neo-age of instant and open hostility, a cigarette can spark off an inferno of hate. But cigarettes can also be stubbed out in a wink. So, sorry to burst your bubble of self-righteousness, @rizwanahcoowar. Mahira Khan did not ‘just lower her standard in front of your eyes’. Our standards, our reactions are merely a reflection of our own character, as Zafar points out. Now put that in your pipe and smoke it.