The entertainment industry in Kashmir Valley is highly gendered. The latest example is that of a young Kashmiri singer, Reshi Sakeena, who reportedly left the music industry to seek “forgiveness” and reaffirm her faith in Islam. >
In hindsight, this is not the first time that a female artist’s personal decision triggered a social media upheaval in the Valley, and each time the question remains the same – why do successful Muslim female artists from Kashmir continue to leave the entertainment industry?>
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The most striking part in Sakeena’s case has been a trending comment that she recited the Kalima again (the Islamic declaration of faith) as if she had not been a Muslim before. What is peculiarly upsetting about this whole episode is not her personal decision to renounce her music career in pursuit of a spiritual journey, but the circumstances leading up to it. >
Sakeena’s journey to the music industry is one of resilience and determination, shaped by personal struggles. After losing her mother, she had to drop out of school to support her family in household chores. In a heartfelt interview, she shared how her passion for music softened her father’s heart, prompting him to buy her a harmonium from Delhi, an act that fuelled her artistic dreams.>
Sakeena’s debut Kashmiri folk song ‘Hy Hy Wasiye Yaraan Hai Tarpauns’ became an instant hit and has been viewed by over 16 million people on YouTube. She was happy and surprised by its unexpected success but soon faced intense online criticism. For her, the struggle didn’t end with success; it began there. Unlike her young male counterparts, Sakeena who sings folk songs on YouTube and marriage ceremonies, remains a widely trolled figure in the Valley. >
In some of her videos, Sakeena appeared quite disturbed by the roast and the online insults directed at her. She even filed a complaint in Bandipora Court in 2022, against the administrator of a Facebook page over derogatory remarks and roast videos. She requested people who are running social media platforms and roasting her in their videos to refrain from making lewd remarks about her, as she is experiencing significant mental stress. >
Sakeena had previously also stepped away from singing due to relentless trolling on social media, stating: >
“I decided to quit singing and dancing after being targeted by Kashmiri men.”
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She shared that she felt unsafe working in Kashmir and that her family had urged her to leave the industry for her own safety. Singing on the radio had been a cherished dream for Sakeena, but, like many others, her aspirations were systematically stifled by the so-called ‘moral hypocrites’ of society.>
Between nationalism, faith and patriarchy
This is not the first time women from the Valley have faced criticism due to their participation in the entertainment industry. In 2013, Pragash, an all-girls band from Srinagar, was widely condemned for participating in the Battle of Bands. These girls were compelled to retract from music, and yet there has been a noticeable lack of public outrage over male participation in singing, music festivals and similar events. The mother of one of the band member also blamed the media for overblowing the issue, stating that music was merely a weekend hobby for the girls, not a career choice.>
Zaira Wasim, another talented Kashmiri Muslim actress in the Hindi film industry, drew a wave of attention when she announced her decision to “disassociate” from the film industry in 2019. She shared her choice on social media, emphasising that it was a voluntary decision. Wasim added that her involvement in the industry had led her down a “path of ignorance” and had caused her to stray from her imaan (faith) and her relationship with her religion. However, it is known that she faced criticism for her acting on religious grounds, and also struggled with depression. While some supported her decision to quit Indian cinema others criticised Wasim calling her ungrateful and lacking agency.
References to faith by Muslim women are often weaponised by Indian liberals to critique their choices and target Islam, in general and the Muslim culture, in particular. For instance Barkha Dutt, one of India’s leading TV journalists, expressed her dismay adding that she was disturbed by “the indoctrination of religious conservatism” which Dutt believed was the reason behind Wasim’s departure from the film industry.>
Also read: Why We Must Return to Bombay Cinema of the 1950s and 1960s>
Likewise during the hijab controversy, columnist Talveen Singh, argued that wearing a hijab is not a choice and labelled political Islam a severe threat from her experience in Kashmir. And such example are numerous.>
Sexism exists across societies, including the West. For example, US abortion restrictions, framed by Donald Trump as defending Christian values, highlight deep gender biases. Despite women’s long political involvement, no female has won a US presidential election, and Kamala Harris’s loss was partly attributed to her gender and race. Yet, such issues are rarely labeled as ‘Christian’ or ‘white’ problems. >
In contrast, discussions on gender inequality in countries like Afghanistan or Iran often overlook the impact of invasion, conflict, and poverty, instead placing sole blame on Islam and Muslim men, thereby exposing double standards and a flawed, colonial perspective. >
Muslim Kashmiri women in the public eye are constantly observed and their choices and actions are often viewed through a religious lens, even when they do not explicitly refer to their faith. This was particularly evident during the Karnataka hijab controversy. >
Amid controversy in the southern state, where women were denied entry into educational institutions for wearing a hijab, the Kashmiri girl who topped the Class 12 science board examinations was trolled online for not wearing one. This stark dichotomy highlights the ongoing bias in how society frames the autonomy of Muslim women.>
What stands out here is the unexpected convergence of liberal feminists and conservatives in their critiques. Conservatives target these women to reinforce hegemonic masculinity and perpetuate moral judgments, while liberals criticise those who leave the entertainment industry for Islam, weaponising their choices to attack both the faith and its cultural values. >
This creates a competitive environment that ‘normalise women conformity’ to societal expectations. In this process, women’s personal choices are co-opted into broader ideological conflicts, turning their private decisions into battlegrounds for political and cultural wars – often to the detriment of the women themselves. I argue that the well-being of Muslim women does not depend on a conflict between gender issues and religion.>
Double burden>
To understand the pressure faced by Kashmiri women in entertainment, I spoke with several individuals (particularly women), including one in her mid-thirties. She shared the stigma she faces in finding a suitable partner due to her professional choice and the widespread social media trolling. >
She also shared how societal criticism forces her to be highly selective when choosing roles. While she considered leaving the industry to improve her chances of marriage, the financial burden on her family forces her to continue.>
Discussing Sakeena’s decision to publicly quit the industry, a Muslim religious clerk in a viral video rightly points out that repentance is a matter between an individual and their God, which warrants no public declaration. This raises the question: why do these women feel compelled to announce such deeply personal decisions publicly? >
In an age where Muslim women are the prime targets of social media trolling, Michel Foucault’s insight – that modern power controls and shapes lives rather than threatens death – feels especially relevant. Perhaps we can never fully comprehend the experiences or traumas that shape their choices. However, it is evident that when public figures make personal announcements, publicly, they inevitably invite public scrutiny and commentary. I believe that in these cases, making personal decisions ‘public’ may arise from genuine personal commitment but could more likely be the outcome of societal pressure.>
Also read: What’s in a Name? Bureaucracy, Patriarchy and Identity.>
I have no doubt about these women’s commitment to their faith. Besides, the Indian entertainment industry is far from an ideal space for women; it is plagued by abuse, harassment, nepotism, unequal pay, and the frequent disposability of female artists. However, it’s also crucial to recognize the immense pressure and relentless bullying these women face from society and that mostly likely played an important role in their decision to step away. >
While addressing global Islamophobia, we must also confront the entrenched gender biases and conservatism within our own society. Avoiding such criticism out of fear of fueling prejudice against Islam is both weak and counterproductive. Gender bias in Kashmiri society reflects broader systemic issues that are not unique to the region or to Muslim societies but persist nonetheless. >
Similarly, alleged liberals dismissing Muslim women’s decisions as lacking agency reveals their insular worldview and highlights the anti-Muslim (especially Kashmiri) prejudice within Indian liberals. Women’s identities here are shaped by intersecting challenges, including Third World conditions, religion, and, most significantly, the ongoing conflict and political instability. >
The author would like to thank Dr Aejaz Ahmad Wani for his valuable comments.>
Zohra Batul is a post-doctoral scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. >