Dananeer Mobeen has become a target for people on the internet who are appalled and bewildered by a decision taken by SZABIST in Karachi to invite her as a speaker on a panel.
What Happened
As a part of the annual media festival held by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) in Karachi, the ZAB Media Festival held a three-day event that invited numerous personalities to attend and speak to students about the rebirth of media.
With Zahid Ahmed as a keynote speaker, and numerous huge names in attendance, such as Sanam Saeed, Farhan Saeed, Ali Rehman Khan, Nabeel Qureshi, Fifi Haroon, and many more, the event came to a close last Saturday.
One panel that seemed to have irked many is the one that revolved around digital personalities, with the bone of contention being that Dananeer Mobeen was invited.
Making Dananeer Mobeen Viral
There are multiple things that must be highlighted here. First and foremost, we must remember that Dananeer Mobeen did not become an overnight sensation in a vacuum. As consumers, we watched that short clip that spread like wildfire – we shared it, rewatched it, made memes out of it, and shared Yashraj Mukhate’s version of the same.
If virality is something we take issue with, let us begin to turn those fingers pointed at Dananeer, and conduct some much-needed self-reflection.
Is Pawri Horahi Hai Offensive?
The clip that went viral was not an offensive clip. It’s a video anyone of us could have made that could have gone viral – but we didn’t. Chiding Dananeer for simply being lucky, based on content that was never offensive or irksome, to begin with? Come on.
The propulsion of that clip to a meme was a beautiful moment within the digital landscape with Lollywood and Bollywood celebrities partaking in the trend. It was a rare moment of unity in trying times, and it cannot be dismissed.
The Panel In Question
If the rebirth of media and its digital representation were the topics at hand, how does it not make sense to invite Dananeer Mobeen? Can we deny the fact that she went viral overnight? Is her contribution to the digital landscape of Pakistan any lesser due to the instantaneous nature of her virality?
Moreover, why snatch the frame away from those who were also present on the panel, all of whom have contributed to the digital landscape in varying capacities? Why was this snapshot not put into context, and misrepresented completely, only to demean a young woman because she is, owing to the nature of her being and positionality in society, a soft and easy target? Selective criticism is as lazy as it is easy.
Dananeer And Privilege
One can make the privilege argument – sure. Dananeer is conventionally beautiful, well spoken, and ticks of numerous boxes in terms of her social positionality. However, it is this nuance that seems to be lost on those criticizing her, who will also levy criticism against less privileged content creators, whilst gatekeeping, and writing off their content as “cringe.”
Summing Up
Before resorting to attacks and creating narratives that do not exist around people who have done no harm, as consumers, we must be more patient, withstanding, and less vicious. Context is always pertinent, and to choose to ignore it and pass on misinformation, a grave disservice. Let us collectively take a deep breath and cut our digital content creators some slack, and gently step off our high horses. Empathy and understanding are the need of the hour – anyone can tear other people down.
