Karachi: An acid attack survivor, whose harrowing story inspired Oscar award winning documentary by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, has filed a case against the documentary filmmaker for not paying her compensation and other benefits.
Rukhsana, who hails from Muzaffargarh, filed the case against Chinoy in the Multan sessions court in which she has claimed that the filmmaker had offered her compensation and benefits which motivated her to appear in the film `Saving Face`, but once the documentary was released, the director did not fulfil her commitment.
She has alleged that Chinoy promised her a house, Rs 30 lakh and plastic surgery in compensation for her role in the film.
Rukhsana also claimed to have been thrown out of her house for working in the movie and is forced to live a nomadic life with her children.
Chinoy, however, denies all the allegations and tweeted that she had never promised anything to Rukhasana.
Chinoy said she never promised any favour or compensation to Rukhsana and that a donor, who saw the documentary, offered Rukhsana a house and she even went around looking for houses. However, her family did not let her accept one.
The filmmaker said that the donor was very clear that they did not want to give her cash in place of a house as they felt it may be dangerous for her as she is even more vulnerable to being exploited by her husband who committed the crime in the first place.
Her husband and family however, insisted she take money instead.
According to Chinoy`s tweets, the plastic surgeon involved in the film Dr Mohammad Jawwad came to Pakistan to perform surgeries on Rukhsana and Zakia - the latter being the primary subject of the movie.
While Zakia agreed to the surgery and was operated upon, Rukhsana turned down the offer.
The Karachi-based filmmaker also said that Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) and Rukhsana unanimously filed a civil suit to stop airing the movie in Pakistan for the safety of victims.
Although it was made clear initially that the documentary will be aired in Pakistan, Chinoy said she obliged "because women`s safety is paramount" to her.
Chinoy became the first Pakistani filmmaker to win an Oscar award in any category this year.
PTI
