Zareen Khan On Working With Veer Co-Star Salman Khan: "Had No Idea That He Would Change My Life In This Way"

Zareen Khan was last seen in the 2021 film Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele

Actress Zareen Khan made her Bollywood debut with Veer. The 2010 film featured Salman Khan in the lead role. In a recent interview, Zareen expressed her gratitude towards Salman Khan and addressed how her weight became a "national issue." In a conversation with Zoom, Zareen said, “National issue ban gaya tha mera weight. [My weight became a national issue.]” She added, “Weight jo hai, I was supposed to be looking like this because mai ek period film kar rahi thi. Aur jo 18-century ki jo princesses thi aur jo aurtein hi thi for that matter, they did not have six-pack abs or toned bodies. Yeh to hum abhi dekh rahe hai. Indian women have been known for their curves. [Regarding my weight, I was supposed to look a certain way because I was doing a period film. The princesses of the 18th century and women in general during that time didn't have six-pack abs or toned bodies. This is something we are witnessing now.]” 

Zareen Khan continued, “So mai bahut confused thi us time pe. Aur choti bhi thi to us time pe thoda sa confusion hota tha kyuki mai teenage me almost 100 kg thi thi. Maine almost 50 kg, ek insaan apne shareer se nikal diya tha. Uske baad meri trolling ho rahi thi ki mai fat hu. Toh yeh bahut confusing times thay. [I was quite confused at that time. I was young and there was a bit of confusion because I was almost 100 kg in my teenage years. I shed about 50 kg. I almost took out a person from my body. After that, I was trolled for being fat. So, those were very confusing times.]

Reflecting on her encounter with Salman Khan, Zareen Khan added, “Salman Khan se mili thi, mai ek fan ki tarah mili thi aur mujhe ni pta tha ki vo meri zindagi is tareeke se change kar denge. Agar wo nahi note to I don't think mai is industry ka hissa kabhi bhi hoti kyuki maine kabhi socha hi nahi tha ki mai is industry ka hissa banungi. [ I met Salman Khan as a fan and had no idea that he would change my life in this way. If he hadn't taken notice, I don't think I would have ever been a part of this industry because I never thought I would become a part of it.]” 

Speaking about her experience of working with Salman Khan as a dream come true, Zareen Khan shared, “Salman ek aise actor hai jinko mera puri khandan pasand karta hai aur hamesha se pasand karta aaya hai. And here I was working with him. Mai bol rahu hu na yeh koi sapne se khwaab se kam nahi tha. Yaha tak ki ek-dedh saal Veer ki shooting chali on and off. It was not shot on one stretch. Aisa lagta hi nahi tha that I am actually sitting in front of Salman and we were working together. So, it was all just dreamlike. [Salman is an actor whom my entire family admires and has always admired. And then, here I was working with him. I'm telling you, this was no less than a dream. For about one and a half to two years, the shooting of Veer went on and off. It wasn't shot in one stretch. It didn't feel like I was actually sitting in front of Salman and working together. So, it all felt like a dream.]”