Published 21:30 IST, February 24th 2020
Khatija responds to AR Rahman's statement on her burqa row, opens up on their upbringing
Khatija responded to AR Rahman's statement on her burqa row. She shared how they taught to give to the poor while growing up and how she bought basic brands.
Taslima Nasreen bringing AR Rahman’s daughter Khatija Rahman’s burqa into the spotlight by calling it ‘suffocating’ made headlines. The father-daughter duo’s reaction to it brought the focus on freedom of choice and simplicity to the fore. Khatija penned another strong note about their upbringing after her father shared how he was ‘awestruck by her simplicity.’
Sharing a screenshot of a news report of AR Rahman’s statement, Khatija wrote that her parents belonged to a ‘simple background.’
The principles they grew up with were ‘To be honest, true to ourself and be simple and grounded in all walks of life’, she shared. The youngster expressed how despite Rahman’s busy schedule, they were taught to give to the poor, making them feel connected with the poor. She wrote how that was one of the reasons why they never felt like behaving ‘differently’ over having a celebrity parent.
Opening up on this, Khatija said she always bought simple brands and how people are ‘shocked’ whenever she told them because her father was a celebrity. And even if she goes to the ‘greatest of parties,’ she prefers the shoes of a basic brand. She expressed how ‘reasonable, classy and comfortable’ were more important factors than the brand by its name.
Khatija opened up on wanting to ‘break the myths’ that people from renowned families should behave in a certain way and talk to only those of ‘their kind.’ She added that one shouldn’t have a ‘filter’ on who one should talk to. She also sent a message to the young women that they should not need a man to ‘validate’ their beauty and that their worth was not determined by how many men were trying to woo them.
Khatija added that she was ‘touched by the positivity’, referring to the controversy, and how there was more to a woman than just her face. Khatija highlighted the importance of accepting each other the way they were and respect each other’s differences.
Here’s the post:
The controversy had started after Bangladeshi author-activist Taslima Nasreen called her burqa as ‘suffocating’. Khatija responded that she felt ‘empowered’ by her choice of attire, while taking a dig at Nasreen. AR Rahman reacted to the row by stating that he would’ve worn a burqa if men could, while adding that she found her ‘freedom’ in it as she’s simple and would go for the funeral of a maid’s mother or relative.
Updated 21:30 IST, February 24th 2020