Dangal's Zaira Wasim questions Waqf Board over girls dancing at Kashmir school event

Former actor Zaira Wasim has questioned the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board after a video from a school event in Kashmir showed young girls dancing during Independence Day celebrations.Wasim, who appeared in films such as Dangal, Secret Superstar and The Sky Is Pink, raised the issue in a post on X. She questioned whether a religious institution such as the Waqf Board should be endorsing such events, while stressing that her criticism was not directed at the children themselves.Sharing a clip from what she described as a school in Kashmir, Zaira wrote that the Independence Day celebrations were held "for or by the Waqf Board". She then questioned the role of the religious body and whether it was expected to serve the Muslim community while upholding Islamic values.She wrote, "Isn’t waqf board a religious body entrusted with serving the Muslim Community. and ideally doing so while uplholding Islamic Values?" Zaira said she found it contradictory that an organisation with a religious and community-oriented purpose could be associated with an event that, in her view, did not reflect the values she expected such an institution to uphold.She questioned the decision to involve children in public celebrations through dance performances, particularly focusing on girls. "Why is the default way of involving children — and particularly girls — in public celebrations to make them dance to irrelevant songs?" she asked.Instead, she said educational institutions should give children opportunities to "think, create, learn, discuss, build or contribute".Just came across a clip from a school somewhere in Kashmir. Independence Day celebrations held for or by the Waqf Board.I have a question. Isn’t waqf board a religious body entrusted with serving the Muslim Community. and ideally doing so while uplholding Islamic Values?Then— Zaira Wasim (@ZairaWasimmm) August 16, 2026Zaira made it clear that she was not blaming the children who appeared in the video. "And to be clear: the point is not the children. Children are often simply made to participate in whatever schools and institutions put before them," she wrote.She said the larger question was about the choices made by institutions and what they decide to facilitate or endorse. "Perhaps that is the real tragedy here," she added.Zaira also referred to Kashmir's educational, intellectual and cultural legacy. She said the region had produced people who viewed education as a way to "enlighten minds, cultivate character and equip people with knowledge and spirituality".She questioned what such institutions were doing to preserve and build on that legacy. "If it’s an institution whose very existence is tied to religious purpose, you are tasked with deeper work of strengthening the communities spiritually, morally, intellectually," she wrote.The former actor concluded by saying the issue was not about the children but about "what an institution chooses to facilitate, endorse and place under its own banner".What is the controversy?A video from an Independence Day programme in Jammu and Kashmir has circulated on social media, reportedly showing girls from a Waqf Board-run school performing to a Kashmiri song. The video has also been shared by several social media accounts.The incident has prompted debate online, with some users questioning whether such a performance was consistent with the religious values associated with the Waqf Board.According to the information provided, Waqf Board chief and BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi has not publicly responded to Wasim's criticism so far.Zaira Wasim's acting careerZaira Wasim made her acting debut with Dangal, where she played the younger version of Aamir Khan's daughter Geeta Phogat. She later starred in Secret Superstar and The Sky Is Pink.In 2019, she announced her decision to leave the film industry, saying that her acting career was conflicting with her religious beliefs and faith.Since then, Wasim has largely stayed away from films and public life, although she occasionally shares her views on social media.- EndsPublished By: shweta keshriPublished On: Aug 18, 2026 12:30 IST