Meesha Shafi-Ali Zafar Sexual Harassment Allegations: Female Pakistani Actress Has Worked in Bollywood Films with Farhan Akhtar and Om Puri

Meesha Shafi has rocked the nation by making shocking sexual harassment allegations against Ali Zafar. Both are Pakistani artists who have an incredible profile both a musician and an actor. The mother of two children, Meesha on Thursday tweeted a long statement along with a hard-hitting caption accusing Ali Zafar of sexual misconduct on not one but multiple times. Using the hashtag #MeToo, a global movement against sexual harassment and assault, Meesha in her claims has admitted Ali of sexually harassing and that of ‘a physical in nature.’ The details of the note have got the fans in India baffled a little more as Ali has been a widely-known face in the country. Music fans recognize Meesha from her stint in Coke Studio, but you would be surprised to know that the 36-year-old has worked in Bollywood films and actors such as Farhan Akhtar, Shaban Azmi and late Om Puri. Ali Zafar Responds to Meesha Shafi's Sexual Harassment Allegations.

Pakistani model, actor and singer Meesha Shafi made her silver screen debut with film titled The Reluctant Fundamentalist. The 2013 English film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair saw her in a supporting role that of Bina Khan. In this political-thriller, Meesha shared screen space with stalwarts of Western and Indian cinema, Kate Hudson, Riz Ahmed, Liev Schreiber, Shabana Azmi and Om Puri. She played the sister of male protagonist Changez Khan played by Riz. The film received positive reviews and also saw Meesha Shafi sing ‘Bijli Aaye Ya Na Aaye.’ Meesha Shafi Accuses Ali Zafar of Sexual Harassment: Female Pakistani Singer Says Ali Sexually Harassed Her on Multiple Occasions.

Coming to her second film, which also released in the year 2013 was a mainstream Bollywood movie, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. It marked Meesha Shafi’s debut in Hindi cinema. She played the role of Perizaad, a girl who seems to be interested in Akhtar’s character of Milkha Singh. You will remember her from the scene where she approaches him during a rigorous training session, but the actor does not pay attention to her advances. We saw Meesha and Farhan shake a leg in the catchy song Slow Motion Angreza.

These are two of Meesha Shafi’s films that has an Indian connection. The actress while doing Bhaag Milkha Bhaag had said, "Our cultural heritage and stories are deeply rooted that its natural to relate to cinema being made here. Bollywood has a huge audience in Pakistan and Pakistani music has a vast listenership in India," before further adding, “Bollywood and Pakistan have an age-old relationship."

As for Ali Zafar, Indians have been huge fans of the Pakistani singer-actor. It has come across a huge blow for them to hear about the sexual harassment allegations against him. The 37-year-old actor had made his Bollywood debut as an actor with critically and commercially acclaimed Tere Bin Laden in 2010. He then went on to do several big movies such as Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, London, Paris, New York, Chashme Baddoor and Dear Zindagi among many.

Meesha’s allegations seem scary and disturbing because they claim Ali Zafar to sexually harass her despite being an empowered public figure. She wrote how much trauma she has faced at the hands of Ali not as a newbie in the industry but as a powerful, mother of two children and an influential personality. She reflects the notion that no women is safe irrespective of class, status, age or background.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 19, 2018 08:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).