Actress Zareen Khan may not have been spotted on the big screen of Bollywood of late, but that does not mean she’s not been busy with work.
Having recently starred in a smash hit Punjabi film, Zareen will begin work on another Bollywood film within a few months.
Currently however, she’s happy to spread environment friendly messages by modeling for designer Amy Billimoria‘s Earth 21 collection, fashioned from eco-friendly fabrics.
Team MissMalini met up with Zareen at the launch and spoke to her at length about style and Bollywood. Here’s what she told us:
Team MissMalini: Tell us about Amy Billimoria’s Earth 21 collection and why you are promoting it?
Zareen Khan: What really got me interested in this collection was the fact that Amy has used eco-friendly fabrics – like bamboo fibre – to fashion this collection. The fabrics are not chemically treated and are 100% natural. This is a great way of being environmentally conscious and what’s more, the gowns are perfect for the red carpet.
In India, cricket and Bollywood are like a religion and as a Bollywood actress, if I can reach out to my fans and spread the message to wear environment-friendly clothes, I hope in a small way, it will make a difference.
Team MM: What is your personal style all about?
ZK: I’m a very white top and jeans kind of person. I’m not into wearing labels to prove a point and I prefer to dress according to my mood at that moment. As you know, I have been criticised at times for the clothes I wear. But it doesn’t matter to me. I dress for comfort and regardless of what I wear, I make sure I carry it off with confidence.
Team MM: You have such luminous skin. Give us the secret to your glow.
ZK: Thankfully, I’m blessed with good skin because of my mother. But honestly, it’s also a combination of many other things. I try to eat healthy by avoiding deep fried foods, I drink lots of water and the most important thing is to exercise so that you sweat out all the toxins from your body.
And the biggest beauty secret of all is to be happy! I don’t let things get to me and affect me negatively. Instead, I try to draw strength and meaning from situations that are less than desirable. I’m a very strong person and when you don’t sweat the small stuff, you automatically start being a happier person from within and that shows on your body as well.
Finally, the last beauty secret is to never sleep with make-up on. No matter how tired you are when you get home, cleanse and moisturize your skin before you go to sleep.
Team MM: You have lost a lot of weight since your Bollywood debut. What is the secret?
ZK: It’s a combination of exercise and sport! It’s a good thing that I easily get bored of an exercise routine and hence, I keep doing different things to keep fit. I do power yoga, I play badminton, I swim. I try to get in at least thirty minutes in a day to sweat it out.
Team MM: Which are your favourite Indian designers?
ZK: Top of my list is Ana Singh. She styled me for my debut film, Veer and she totally transformed me from a tomboy into a princess. I also love Rocky S for his edgy looks and Manish Malhotra for his Indian silhouettes, which make any woman look like royalty.
Team MM: When do we get to see you on the big screen of Bollywood next?
ZK: I have just finished a Punjabi film called Jatt James Bond which was a huge success and since then, I have been getting a lot of offers for Punjabi films. As for Bollywood, I’m looking at a couple of scripts and by September or October, I will start work on the next one.
Team MM: What about television?
ZK: Frankly, I’ve not yet thought about television or reality shows. I’m open to good ideas, however.
Team MM: What are the biggest hurdles you have faced in Bollywood?
ZK: Well, apart from being compared in unflattering ways to other actresses, I think the fact that I’m an outsider with no Bollywood connections has been a bit of a hurdle. A number of the newer stars come from film backgrounds with parents and relatives already in the industry. But I don’t have any god fathers.
Add to that, the fact that I take time to open up to people. At times, when I go to a filmy event, I wont know many people in the room on a personal level.
And that is easily misinterpreted as me being snobbish or arrogant because I don’t go up to another person and just start talking.
But with the few friends that I have in the industry, I have found a lot of doors opening more easily and that is the nice part.
Team MM: Do you have any message for your fans out there?
ZK: I really want to thank them for all their support and for standing by me in this small span of time, since I made my debut. It’s the fans love that I thrive on and I can never be grateful enough.
Pix: Viral Bhayani for MissMalini