I was told to put on weight for ‘Veer’: Zareen Khan

KEY STORY

• Actress Zareen Khan, who faced bodyshaming after the release of her debut film, the Salman Khan-starrer “Veer” in 2010, claims she was actually told to put on weight for the role by “experienced people” who gave her “instructions”.

• Talking about whether the industry judges an actor on the basis of look, Zareen told IANS: “It definitely does. I wouldn’t say all of it, but a major section of the industry does. In the beginning it was really difficult because of the comparison, my weight was almost a national issue.”

• When Zareen made her Bollywood debut opposite Salman in “Veer”, people were quick to notice that she had a passing likeness with Katrina Kaif. Soon, the focus shifted to her body type.

• “Everybody was just talking about my weight and I couldn’t understand — why is my weight such an issue, because I was told to put on that weight,” she claimed.

• “When I entered the industry, I was like this lost child. I was a 20 or 21-year-old, not as polished as the 20 or 21-year-olds we have now. (I had) Nothing to do with the Bollywood industry and there I was on a film set with the biggest superstar of the country,” Zareen recalled about starring with Salman.

• “When my very first shot happened I didn’t even know where the camera was. I was that dumb and naive. When I am so inexperienced and I am working with such experienced people, they give you instructions. I was supposed to look like that and I followed instructions, and then when the film released it backfired on me. From my looks, to my weight to everything, I couldn’t understand what I did. It was funny, it was disturbing. There were too many emotions at one time,” Zareen added.

CONCLUSION

• “It went wrong for some time that I didn’t even have work but this industry has taught me that nothing is permanent here. Perceptions change with every film and nothing should be taken to heart,” she summed up.

• Zareen was last seen in “Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele”, which released on Zee5 a while back.