Pakistan’s leading actor Hamza Ali Abbasi has once again opposed item songs in Pakistani movies, according to clips of an interview he gave last month.
Abbasi has been, among the few Pakistani actors, who have voiced opposition to the objectifying of women on TV and cinema screens. The actor, in his interview with a London-based media outlet, In Dialogue with Ahsan Khan, repeated his stance against item numbers.
The host had asked Abbasi about his outlook on an item number. The actor said: “It is bad from a religious point of view, it’s bad even from a secular point of view. You don’t demean a woman onscreen and call it art.”
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Comparing item numbers with strip shows, the actor went on: “It’s just my opinion but why are strip shows not art? We can show that on our television from let’s say 10pm to 11pm. In my head, there’s a distinction between art…”
The actor has stood up for quality entertainment and has opposed the sexualizing of women and girls for mere ratings and publicity on TV and cinema screens.
Read more: Hamza Ali Abbasi slams Netflix for sexualizing preteen girls in trailor of Cuties
Last month, Abbasi had expressed outrage over the upcoming Netflix show Cuties. He slammed the upcoming Netflix series for sexualizing young teenage girls.
Abbasi in his tweet, said: “It’s horrifying to see a show in the mainstream blatantly sexualizing 11-year-old kids. If this show is still there by the next month, I am canceling my Netflix subscription and so should you.”
He also signed the petition titled “Cancel Cuties on Netflix’’ circulating on social media. The actor posted the signed petition in his tweet.
On the work front, last week, the actor announced that he is returning to the TV screen in an online interview with fellow entertainer Ahmed Ali Butt.
After a long hiatus from the entertainment industry, Abbasi said he is planning to return to the TV screen with two projects. However, he did not reveal the details of his upcoming ventures.