it'll be dry, settled and sunny for most of us. 00:28:17,399 --> 1073741526:09:35,407 this 1073741526:09:35,407 --> 2147483051:50:53,414 is 2147483051:50:53,414 --> 3221224577:32:11,422 the 3221224577:32:11,422 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 briefing. i'm sally bundock. fresh doubts about the 00:00:00,001 --> 1073741525:48:22,358 this 1073741525:48:22,358 --> 2147483051:36:44,715 is 2147483051:36:44,715 --> 3221224577:25:07,072 bbc 3221224577:25:07,072 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 news. future of the iran covertly pursued nuclear weapons. nuclear deal. nuclear weapons as a childish stunt and a rehash of old allegations. programme. iran's nuclear programmes. of sexual abuse. by a metre. a warning for the world's low—lying regions. by an australian court. kicking the can of the most powerful officials at the vatican. down the road. he denies wrongdoing. canada and across afghanistan, including a number of journalists. bbc reporter ahmad shah is among the dead. he was 29. of the mexico. taliban. now on bbc news,

it's hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. for equality, respect and an end to abusive male behaviour. but how far can it reach? mahira khan. can she be an agent of change? thank

you. is this a good time to be a female actor in pakistan? yes, i would say so. at the moment. it's a good time for us. as you are, it's quite a sensitive place to be. yes, um, i would say it used to be, it used to be. right now, i don't think it's sensitive to be in the public eye. to sort of do the things that you

want to do, you know. and you're only just creeping up again. yes. is a tradition that has been lost to many people. because it was there once upon a time, right? and then we suffered through... i guess, politics affected it and there was a lull. one, of course, cinema got lost somewhere in all of this. started coming towards television.

and all of the arts sort of converged into tv... but it's notjust about changing media, is it? it's also about cultural conservatism. and that's really a problem for people like you. before me went through. because, again, of the political climate, it changed. there was freedom as far as media was concerned. as far as cinema is concerned.

the question is, what kind of cinema? of what is and isn't possible in pakistani cinema today. and, sara, your character, is raped. right. and to believe that it would find an audience in pakistan? well, it wasn't difficult to make it. the man who made it, he has made two previous films. "wow, what is this? it was a brilliant film, but touched on very sensitive topics. then he came out

with bol... we should say, shoaib mansoor... shoaib mansoor, yes, absolutely. he's one of pakistan's leading film directors... absolutely. and respected around the world now. yes, respected around the world. and then now he's made verna. was not difficult because that's what he does. "everything in this film is imaginary. imaginary because the reality is too bitter to be told or shown. been happening in countries like ours. was this a film made out of anger? absolutely. he sort of goes back home and shuts his doors. and a lot of frustration,

for sure. has a problem with sexual violence that is endemic. in pakistan every two or three hours. right. is in your country? because there were so many people who were going to watch it. for me, as an actor, i really did not

know how i can... written like that, right. and also, there wasn't a scene which showed the rape. so there was no visual representation of the rape. i what you to be angry. almost he looked at rape, that's how i played it. in pakistan was going to ban the movie. yes, yes, of course. yeah, more than anger... i looked at it from a very different point of view. i couldn't believe it. it would just keep breaking

my heart, you know. the first thought in my head was "not again. you know, um... actor in pakistan. because, and this is something about the ban of verna. "what do you say about the ban of verna?

"we are not going to let you ban this. vengeance herself... revenge herself, right. and it is violent and it is horrible. yes. is that the message you're telling me about pakistan today? no, i'm not, that's not the message i'm telling you. and again, everybody came out, everybody spoke about it...

no, it eventually does. this is a world—over problem, and how do we stop it? so somewhere i feel we are failing on two levels, you know. and awareness about this. takes place inside their own homes. and then there is shame attached to it. and these things do not get over in one day. about — i think real conversation is

what's happening right now. for example, as children. is the silent acceptance of women. with this competently. do you personally feel that too? i had the freedom of choice. to you, scream, come to me, talk to me, tell me. so my mother taught me that, she's a teacher herself. i was aware of these things. post—that, i lived in america for

a while. i have the exposure to understand these things. there is a problem because we attach... .. they're so misconstrued. let me ask you something personal. is ready to recognise different ways in which women live their lives. yes.

is properly reflected in the culture of your country? i am a reflection of my country, also a reflection so... she's privileged, she's different. think... but i believe that i appeal to the masses of my country. if i am so different from them? for you, trying to express yourself freely in the country today. it's not, though, just about gender issues, is it?

that come with pakistan's vexed relationship with india. and yet it all went horribly wrong. between india and pakistan as they affect the movie industry been? and the audience, and watch this. and i didn't get to. you couldn't.

depiction of muslims. i think this would not have been banned. don't even concern the film, sometimes. so, you know, i don't think that was the reason. they said it was the reason. would it have been released? well, in a way, things have got even worse since then. grata as actors, or contributors at all, to their movie industry.

right. so you couldn't even go and promote the movie in india. yes, yes. so it was a two—way thing. really, nothing else. indian films. we haven't banned indian films at all. well, some are banned. i mean, it is a very intermittent and sporadic thing. depends upon indian movies. than any other. shown in pakistan. we talked about anger earlier. you are caught in this political crossfire? well, at that time, yes, i was angry. of disappointment, and just hurt, you know? doesn't really, you know, make me a better actor. it doesn't do anything for me as a person. i was in the mix

of it. as well as pakistani film star, and now you cannot be that. well, no. you know, bollywood was never really the aim, actually. i mean, sure, you could argue that i could have done more films there. for sure, i could have. on verna, even before this happened, so my focus was always on pakistan. let's be honest. to the massive machine that is the indian film industry.

as well as in pakistan. and ijust wonder how bitterly disappointed you feel? well, at that time i did. at that time i did. but i will tell you what — like, i can't explain it. and at that time it was. part of this movement in the film industry at the moment. which they won't have to struggle so much. each insecure about the other. across that border, you get caught up in it.

cigarettes, with an indian actor off—set. in pakistan, social media went nuts. so many people were hugely critical of you. how dare she, and she's hanging out with an indian? how much pressure do you feel? i was caught up in a so—called controversy. and it was strange, because there were so many thoughts involved. one, obviously, you feel violated. just photographed you. who was extremely loved in pakistan, and they consider me... you know, they sort of keep me up on this pedestal. want to see me do. for

a while. it became a national topic, a national debate, every channel. it was crazy, it was ridiculous. but what has happened post that is even better. the backlash in yourfavour, people defending you ? yes. you saw that, right? i have seen that, i understand that. i suppose we have skirted around this, but i had to ask you directly. powerful sway in the country. which are specifically designed to protect women from abuse.

to the breakup of society. this is the pakistan you live in. no, i think that's a very myopic view of pakistan. i think that is a quote from an imam in pakistan. i do not look at pakistan like that. there are so many others. like, i'm sitting in front of you. sometimes i feel, do i even deserve to be sitting in front of you? enough. well, i have been to pakistan a couple of times. politicians, we have interviewed all sorts of

pakistanis. to talk to somebody like you, trying to navigate through. that there are possibilities. coming back to this quote, i'm not sure who this man is. you told me he was... well, the council of islamic ideology is his organisation. with that, anywhere around the world. and we're seeing it with america, as well. we're seeing it with first world countries, as well. so we have to... on increasing. and people like me, we are the middle ground. we have to sort of bring it together. but do you ever, in a darker moment, think to yourself, you

know what? difficult — and yes, verna was un—banned. your next movie, who knows? to express myself so much more freely? i have never thought that. i can't. of my countrymen. who else would do that?

i mean, i want to do that. of the youth of pakistan. i think that is a problem we all suffer. at what is going to happen. space to fill in. mahira khan, thank you very much for being on hardtalk. thank you. good morning. down to the beach. from this weather watcher picture

here in east lothian. on the kent coast, not the greatest of days. 50mph winds and heavy, persistent rain. worth of rain. and kent, wasn't it? i can offer you something better through today. skies it's going to be a chilly start to tuesday morning. that's certainly worth bearing in mind if you're up and off early. the clear skies. but it will certainly be a drier start. for much of central and eastern england. things will stay quite quiet before this next weather front arrives. so get out and enjoy the weather first thing. england. but feeling much better. rain by the end of the afternoon, some of it heavy in the north—west. highest values,

9—15. to go steadily east bringing rain with it as well. a wet start for much of england and wales. through much of the day. behind it, the winds will swing round to a north—westerly. time of year. 8—12 at the very best. from the south—west. into northern ireland and scotland for a time on thursday. cloudy skies generally on thursday. but predominantly dry for many, with highest values of 11—16. continues to build. dragging milderair up from the south. all of this bodes well for the start of the bank holiday weekend. temperatures

peaking in the low 20s.