Pakistani actress Veena Malik, who has been locked in a war of words on Twitter with top tennis player Sania Mirza, denied shaming the Indian sports icon on her parenting choices and claims she felt attacked.
“I wasn’t mommy shaming her… Blocking me right away [on Twitter] was violent and aggressive… I was just asking a simple question,” said Malik in an exclusive interview with Gulf News tabloid! over the phone on June 18.
A day earlier, a vitriolic Twitter war broke out when Veena Malik questioned Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik’s wife about taking her nine-month-old son to a shisha bar along with a few members of the Pakistani cricket team.
A controversial video had emerged showing Pakistani cricket players enjoying shisha and "junk food" according to Veena Malik, before their momentous match with India on June 15 during the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup.
Pakistan was defeated by India in the game.
Following the defeat, the video didn’t go down well with the cricket fans from Pakistan who questioned the player’s commitment and discipline towards their cricket game.
Malik’s tweet to Mirza asking her about placing her child in a “hazardous” environment and athletes eating junk food aggravated the tense scenario.
“It was my natural, instant reaction as a mother… If I take my kid to a place which is dangerous for their health, it’s not good… I was asking an innocent question,” said Malik.
She added that her intention was not to malign her and that she hadn’t crossed any boundaries.
“It was my natural, instant reaction as a mother… If I take my kid to a place which is dangerous for their health, it’s not good… I was asking an innocent question,” said Malik.
“But her talking about my character and blocking me right away, wasn’t that something violent and aggressive? … I was polite throughout,” said Malik.
The mother of two, who was in Pakistan in a reality TV shoot during the interview, claimed she was taken aback by the “character assassination” by Mirza.
In a tweet, that’s now deleted, Mirza hit back at Malik’s parental concerns saying that she should be worried more if her children saw the racy, risque magazine cover shoot featuring Malik. In 2011, Malik sued a magazine for carrying a nude photo shoot, which she claims was doctored.
In 2011, Malik sued a magazine for carrying a nude photo shoot, which she claims was doctored.
How can you attack me on my career choices? I didn’t bring up her scandals. If you look at her career, she’s the most controversial athlete. She was brutally attacked too… So how can a woman like that do this to another woman
“How can you attack me on my career choices? I didn’t bring up her scandals. If you look at her career, she’s the most controversial athlete. She was brutally attacked too… So how can a woman like that do this to another woman,” said Malik.
She added that it was Mirza who brought attention to the fact that she had taken her child along to a shisha bar.
“When you come on a social platform and talk about taking your child to a sheesha bar, aren’t you inviting this upon yourself… You are an athlete, your husband is an athlete and all of you are eating junk food. You invited people to talk about it. And when I talked about it, you attack me on your career choices. I did not expect that from Sania Mirza.”
Malik added that she wouldn’t have commented if Mirza was on a personal trip. But she was seen hanging out with Pakistani players during an official tour.
“Coming from a woman who has also been attacked in the past, it’s bad… She shouldn’t have reacted so violently. I have nothing against anybody. It was my view, my innocent question and I expressed it.”
Malik’s original tweet read: “Sania, I am actually so worried for the kid. You guys took him to a sheesha place isn’t it Hazardious? Also as far as I know Archie’s is all about junk food which isn’t good for athletes/Boys. You must know well as you are mother and athlete yourself?”.
Mirza shot back with: “Veena, I have not taken my kid to a sheesha place. Not that it’s any of your or the rest of the world’s business cause I think I care bout my son a lot more than anyone else does :) secondly I am not Pakistan cricket team’s dietitian nor am I their mother or principal or teacher.”
Gulf News tabloid! has reached out to Mirza's team, who declined to comment.
