DUBAI // Controversial Pakistani actress Veena Malik has applied for an Indian visa at a processing centre in the emirate, a source revealed yesterday.
The model-turned-actress has been embroiled in scandal since she appeared on the December cover of Indian FHM, a monthly men's magazine, wearing nothing but a tattoo of the initials ISI on her arm – alluding to Pakistan's intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence.
Earlier media reports suggested Ms Malik had been denied an Indian visa as a result of the controversy, but a source in Dubai said they had accepted her application “as a reference case”.
Citizens of Pakistan and Afghanistan are generally referred to the Indian missions in the UAE for interviews after they file an application. The source said there was “no time frame” for processing requests from citizens of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“It has been forwarded to the consulate and they will call her for an interview,” he said.
"I visited the consulate to get some papers attested," Ms Malik confirmed to The National.
The 33-year-old made her Bollywood debut in Gali Gali Mein Chor Hai (there is a thief on every street), which premièred in Dubai last week.
“Whenever visas expire for any country, I would have to apply,” she said. “Like Pakistan, Dubai is my country [sic]. I am a resident of this country and can apply for any visa from here.”
She dismissed reports her visa application had been rejected as baseless. “There is no truth at all. The people of India have always been generous. I have never had any problems, whether for a UK visa or for an India visa,” she said.
The Indian Consulate refused to comment on the issue.
Her publicist said Ms Malik already holds a valid Indian visa.“She has a valid business visa until March,” said Sohail Rashid, Ms Malik’s spokesman and public relations manager.
“She has probably applied for an extension at the Indian consulate.”
He said the actress was spending time in Dubai to mend ties with her family."Her father was very angry with her. She's here to clear any misunderstanding," he said, referring to her father's public outburst over the FHM photo shoot.
Ms Malik has denied posing nude for the magazine, insisting her image was photoshopped. She is suing the magazine for US$2 million (Dh7.3m) in damages.
She plans to return to India at the end of this month to continue shooting for her upcoming film, Mumbai 125 Km.