Veena Malik sues FHM publishers, seeks Rs 10 crore in damages

Controversy thy name is Veena Malik. The sexy Pakistani starlet who is in India to take part in the wedding reality show Swayamvar for Imagine TV has sent a legal notice to men’s magazine FHM, saying that its publishers digitally altered her photographs to make her appear stark nude when she had agreed to appear topless. In the cover photograph, she is in the buff with just the words ISI - which stand for Pakistan’s intelligence agency - tatooed on her arm. The photograph has raked up a furore amongst Muslim clerics in Pakistan who have objected to her boldness. In the notice, Malik has demanded that copies of the December issue be taken off the stands and no more be put into circulation. She has also ordered the image be removed from FHM’s website. Additionally, she has asked for Rs 100 million in damages from the magazine’s management as the entire issue has damaged her reputation in India and Pakistan. Veena told a Pakistani TV channel that she agreed to a bold shoot (read: topless) and the words ISI being used in a humorous way, as per contract with FHM. She has accused the magazine’s editor Kabeer Sharma for allegedly “wrongfully convincing her that writing ISI on her body for the magazine cover shoot won't be controversial and would, in fact, be an image booster.” Sharma, on his part, continues to state that they have all the evidence in the form of a video coverage of the shoot and an email exchange with her where she has approved of the photos. He added that he had not made the video public because of the sensitive nature of its content and that the magazine’s lawyers were readying their response. Meanwhile, FHM India’s website seems to have taken her demand seriously and sports a new cover with Veena holding a grenade in her mouth by its pin, wearing just a military belt round her hips. The words ISI continue to be tattooed on her arm, but the headline has changed to: “Pakistani W.M.D: Veena Malik shows you how to throw a grenade.” And boy has she thrown one at FHM’s publishers.