Her voice bespeaks lust. The pose is suggestive. She prefers silk saris topped with sleeveless, low-neck blouses. Most conveniently, she is rich and single - her “colonel” husband long dead and gone. She is Pakistan’s bitchiest queen. She is a “he”.
Say hello to Begum Nawazish Ali.
Every Saturday night millions of Pakistanis switch over to Aaj TV, a privately-owned television channel, to watch the Late Night Show with Begum Nawazish Ali –“the meanest chat show on TV”.
The drag queen lures willing hosts – ranging from Islamic leaders to Indian film stars – into her “living room”, grilling them with queries and razor-sharp comments that render her prey with no choice but to admit that she indeed is the queen.
Saleem by Day, Nawazish by Night
It’s not easy to be catty, especially when you feel like a woman born by mistake into a man’s body. To be 27-year-old Ali Saleem - by day a handsome dude and by night the middle-aged Begum Nawazish Ali - requires far more than a dab of rouge and stuffed bras. In a traditional Muslim country like Pakistan, you need dollops of brazen to flaunt the thought it’s perfectly okay, actually cool, for a man to celebrate himself as a woman.
Of course, there were a few family problems with Mom – a former civil servant – and his Dad as a retired polo-playing army officer. While growing up, the youngster infuriated Mom by dressing up in her saris or exchanging ladylike gossip with her friends. On many occasions the son tried to explain the familiar woman-in-a-man’s-body logic to Mom, but she could be difficult.
Even so, Mr. Saleem credits her as the strongest influence in his life. It could not have been otherwise - Begum Ali has a lot to thank her mother for learning impeccable lady-like tricks while Ali Saleem, the boy who wanted to be a girl, could not help but hate the same woman for not accepting him as he truly is.
Tracing the Journey to Stardom
Mr. Saleem idolized fellow sisters like Margaret Thatcher and Princess Diana, and soon achieved drawing-room repute by perfectly impersonating Ms Benazir Bhutto – former prime minister and absolute goddess for every South Asian queer hankering to be a queen. The most memorable moment came when Mr. Saleem got the lifetime opportunity to perform his Benazir act for Benazir herself – at her personal request. Pakistan’s first and only female Prime Minister found him so funny that she chuckled aloud and congratulated Mr. Saleem for “making her day”.
Article comments
1 - Roger Choate
Fascinating story, Mayank. It's eye-opening to read about a cross-dresser TV star in an Islamic nation. One doesn't immediate make those kind of associations, but maybe that's because the Western mind cannot always grasps the dynamics of cultures like Pakistan...?
2 - K Khan
No one should be suprised by this. We have lot of talent artist in our country. This is the other side of Pakistan you never hear in your anti-Islamic obsessed TV/electronic media . Only thing they show is bearded man ready to kill american. Let me just remind you that our people are as normal you folks are. We watch all sort of shows from all over the world in our cable TV. I grew up watching Bonanz and star trek. Thanks for publishing this article.
3 - L. Khan
He/She isn't the "sister" you might think "she" is... not after "she" impregnated a girl and became a bastard-daddy. LOL
It is all an act to get popular. Welcome to the fascinating world of Pakistani TV.
4 - Tehman Lall
Good article Mayank. And good you're showing this liberal side of Pakistan aswell. For the concerned, I might add that there is an increasing portion of homosexuals atleast in the major cities of Pakistan. And these exist in almost all segments of the society. Some have access to a comparatively liberal and accepting social outlet, where others live in constant denial and criticism.
Let me also say that where there are some who object to homosexuality 'exhibitionism', there are others across the society who take all services and 'sundry' from eunichs.
Perhaps an interview titled 'Life of a Eunich in Pakistan'...??
5 - shahzee
want to have a social contact with ali saleem
6 - shahzee
If any one has a personal contact number of ali saleem . Actually i want to share some ideas with him. I am also like him. i ama male age 23, my real name is something else.Actually i want to do modeling just like ali saleem. I also want to make a platform for many people who are like ali saleem and me. I will make a platform so that boys can dress up like begum nawazish ali and i will be there too as well. And we will make money outta it. If any one is intersted with this idea please contact me, lets make good use of ourself.