Golshifteh Farahani goes nude like Veena Malik; gets banned

Pakistani actress Veena Malik had caused an outrage when she posed nude with an ISI tattoo on her arm for the Indian edition of FHM magazine. Following her footsteps, Paris-based Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani has allegedly been banned from returning to her homeland after posing nude for a French magazine.

The Telegraph from Britain has reported that Iranian government officials have informed the 29-year-old Golshifteh Farahani that she is no longer welcome in Iran after posing naked for Madame Le Figaro magazine, an act perceived to be anti-Islam.

Speaking about the Iranian government's decision, Golshifteh told the Telegraph, “I was told by a Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guide official that Iran does not need any actors or artists. You may offer your artistic services somewhere else."

“The idea that a woman can demand her freedom of expression through a shock of nudity is not new to the world, but continues to spark the ire of both conservatives and liberals alike. Terming it anti-Islam, blasphemy or issuing fatwas could be far from the solution," says Bollywood PR guru Dale Bhagwagar. The well-known publicist has also been credited for Veena Malik"s entry into the Indian entertainment industry through Bigg Boss, following a controversy with his then PR client Neetu Chandra.

In the recent past, Golshifteh has appeared topless in a short black-and-white film Corps et mes, meaning Bodies and Souls. She also starred along with Leonardo Di Caprio in the Hollywood film Body of Lies, as a nurse who helps an injured American secret agent to recover and carry out his mission in a Muslim country.

Farahani moved to France after being criticized in 2008 for failing to wear a veil at an Academy Awards ceremony. Recently, she also sparked controversy by posting a bare-chested photo of herself on her Facebook page.