It seems like it is really hard in Pakistan to be ‘Mr. Clean’–or in a case like this–‘Miss Clean’ all the time. Controversies from all possible sides keep following the one who makes it even a tiny-big in the country or internationally; like a shadow.
The latest victim of this is the first Pakistani Oscar winner ‘Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’, whose documentary film Saving Face; based on the topic of ‘Acid Burned Victims’ in Pakistan begged Oscar Award earlier this year as the best documentary (Short subject).
But, gone are the heydays of the film or Sharmeen Obaid in particular as one of the acid burned victims ‘Rukhsana’, whose story was also part of the documentary; has sued Sharmeen for allegedly failing to meet with the decided contract on the basis of which she was pursued to be part of the whole venture and said that she had already sent a leagal notice to the filmmaker.
She alleges that Sharmeen promised her the monetary support of Rs 3 million, a house (5 Marla), and a plastic surgery as compensation for her role in the documentary, none of which has been provided yet and that her in-laws have thrown her out of the home for doing the film and now she is forced to live a nomadic life with her children.
Denying all the allegations, Sharmeen said although she sympathiese with Rukhsana but she believes it’s her husband who is pulling all these strings and that they didn’t have any such contract.
In an interview to Express Tribune, Sharmeen said, I feel sad and sympathise with her, and I believe her husband is pulling the strings.”
Sharmeen also claimed that Rukhsana’s part in the film was shot in her village with her parents and husband also monitoring the whole activity and were later interviewed too. How come they were interviewed but yet didn’t know about the film.
When asked whether there was any sort of contract or if she promised Rukhsana some amount in against of her appearance in the film, Sharmeen said, “no one from the documentary filmmaking world would ever offer money, its unethical….this is not my first documentary film, but this is the first time such an incident has happened.”
Sharmeen also mentioned that an NGO named Islamic Heath had come out to bear the expenses of the plastic surgery of both the victims (Zakia and Rukhsana), who were part of her documentary and that maximum is being done on that part.
A recently issued press release by Islamic Health states that the organisation in April 2012 arranged a regular visit of UK-based Pakistani surgeon Dr. Muhammad Ali Jawad (the main plastic surgeon with whom the organisation is working on this yearly based project since 2009– also part of the documentary), and the other subject in Saving Face ‘Zakia’ has already been operated, however, when reached, Rukhsana refused to go through any surgery for reasons unknown to the NGO.
About the house issue, clarifications from both Sharmeen and Islamic Health have appeared, stating that a house in Multan city was arranged by IH with the help of its overseas donors, but Rukhsana at the end refused to take it as she thought her husband and in-laws (Rukhsana is still married to his husband who along with his family threw acid on Rukhsana’s face and also doused her with petrol) would snatch it afterwards from her.
IH in the same statement also states that their organisation is still willing to help Rukhsana with her surgery and can arrange the treatment if she desires so.
Update: The article has been filled in with more details on certain sub-topics of the film in order to give more comprehensive picture of the issue.
