Ali Azmat has upset many people by making demeaning remarks on Malika-e-Tarannum’s appearance albeit justifying them as an opinion of his younger self. In an interview with The Current, Ali recalled the music scene from his early days and how MTV was all the rage, which he called a “cultural invasion”. The reason why many people embraced a foreign culture, according to Ali, was because his own society had nothing similar to offer, and all they had to watch was Noor Jehan, whom he referred to as a “mai” (elderly woman). Ali remarked that he got annoyed when he would turn on the television and see Noor Jehan “singing wearing a full saari, big earrings and overdone makeup”. He di.