As Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim actor to win Oscar for his role in Hollywood flick ‘Moonlight’.
As Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim actor to win Oscar for his role in Hollywood flick ‘Moonlight’, Pakistan’s Representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi tweeted in support of his achievement. However, Lodhi’s tweet came under fire for promoting Ahmadiyyas considered to be ‘non-Muslims’ in Pakistan. Lodhi removed the tweet soon after the post. Ali, a Muslim convert since 1999, joined the minority Ahmadiyya Community, a move seen as heretical by other Islamic sects in 2001.
The Ahmadiyya population in Pakistan has often come under persecution and discrimination by the Sunni majority.
Currently, Ahmadi Muslims across the world are facing persecution because of their religious beliefs. Particularly in Pakistan, Ahmadi Muslims are severely persecuted and lack basic civil rights such as freedom of speech, religion and the right to vote.
Ali, 43, is only in the first third of "Moonlight" but his quiet yet powerful performance as Juan has made his presence felt throughout the Barry Jenkin's directed coming- of-age gay drama, even long after his character departs the story.
He was presented the ceremony's first trophy by last year's best supporting actress winner, Alicia Vikander.
"My grandma would want me to button up. Wow," began the actor amid a standing ovation from the Hollywood audience.
"I want to thank my teachers and professors who told me that it is not about you, it is about characters," he said, thanking his wife Amatus Sami-Karim for being supportive while she was expecting their first child, a daughter born just four days ago.
Other nominees in the category were Indian-British actor Dev Patel ("Lion"), Jeff Bridges ("Hell or High Water"), Lucas Hedges ("Manchester by the Sea" and Michael Shannon ("Nocturnal Animals").
Ali's name was recommended to Jenkins by producer Adele Romanski, who had worked with the actor on the Bay Area-set independent drama "Kicks."
And it was then that Jenkins cast Ali as Juan, a dealer in Miami's Liberty City neighbourhood, who sees in a young gay boy named Chiron a desperate need for guidance and protection.
The movie's signature image is that of Juan holding the boy in the surf as he teaches him to swim Ali had revealed that he shaped his performance of a drug trafficker on mentors who left a positive impact on him.
Ali birth name is Mahershalalhashbaz and he converted to Islam in 1999.
The actor has been on a whirlwind awards tour, collecting one trophy after another, including the Screen Actors Guild award for supporting actor.
The actor's exceptionally fruitful year saw his 16-year career skyrocket in 2016 with an Emmy nomination for his fourth season as "House of Cards'" Washington insider Remy Denton, an acclaimed run on Netflix's "Luke Cage" and a role in another Oscar-nominated film "Hidden Figures".
With inputs from PTI and ANI
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Mahershala Ali")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}