It’s been a while since this year’s LUX Style Awards happened, but the events that occurred before, during, and after the ceremony are still making headlines. Many netizens objected to Feroze Khan being nominated for Best Actor, despite facing serious allegations of domestic abuse levied by his ex-wife Aliza Sultan. And while a bunch of celebrities happened to be vocal about their support for domestic abuse victims, especially Osman Khalid Butt, seeing him being a part of the ceremony and performing in it did not sit well with the viewers.
Butt faced severe backlash for performing at the same platform that awarded Khan and netizen’s started believing that his stance was just for show and that his involvement in the LSAs went against everything he actively preaches. This went on to the point where Butt issued a statement today and clarified his stance.
In response to those who still have questions, and those who passed judgment.
Here’s what happened. pic.twitter.com/0rjwkHtHkd— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) November 27, 2022
The actor shared his statement on Twitter explaining what happened, and said that he was contacted a week before the awards and invited to pay tribute to Nazia Hassan, who was awarded the Changemaker Award posthumously, and to co-host a segment. This was before nominations had been announced. He also presented a condition for his involvement, which said Khan was not to be a part of the event.
“My only reservation — which I made clear before agreeing — was that I could not attend, let alone perform at the ceremony if Feroze [Khan] was present there (which has absolutely nothing to do with his acting prowess, and everything to do with the very serious allegations levied by his ex-wife), and I was assured that he would not. That commitment was honored,” he wrote.
“I have advocated for causes I believe in for more than a decade, fought battles that have been detrimental to my career in this industry without fear (and at times without advertisement) — and I will continue to raise my voice: feminism is not a brand I wear, it is ingrained in my very being,” he added.
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He also spoke of all the negative response his involvement has been getting. “It has been incredibly demoralising reading some of the posts on the cesspool that is social media, peppered with lies calling me out for ‘celebrating and cheering on abusers’ (?!), labelling me a ‘bika hua’ [sellout] ‘selective activist/hypocrite’ who raises his voice for ‘clout’. (Someone please let me know how I have benefitted from this ‘clout’),” he wrote.
“But then I remind myself that I don’t do what I do for your or anyone’s validation. However, one part of your condemnation I fully endorse: do not put anyone up on a pedestal,” he added.
He also went on to say how the issue is much bigger than his involvement in the ceremony. “An understanding that the industry is a part of and reflective of the culture around us with the same issue ad challenges everyone faces; the exception that anyone who speaks out must throw away opportunities in the wake of controversy; how to bring about actionable change that is not cosmetic and same society you’re in and that’s a cold hard fact,” he said.
“But social media is definitely not the place for any nuanced conversation with its culture of misdirected hate.” Thanking all those who did not waver in their faith in him, Osman remarked, “Thank you to my peers and supporters who have faith in my convictions and intentions, and didn’t jump the gun on making judgements without knowing the situation,” he concluded.
