Zareen Khan opens up about doing erotic thriller Hate Story 3 despite having ‘namazi grandparents' at home, being coerced into performing intimate scenes by Aksar 2 director

Indian Express

6 days ago

Actor Zareen Khan said that she struggled to break out of her industry-imposed image of a 'Katrina Kaif lookalike' following her debut film Veer, and that, after she did Hate Story 3, she began receiving more offers. But she was typecast as erotic characters, and was lied to by the director of Aksar 2. She said that the director, Anant Mahadevan, told her clearly that he didn't want to make another Hate Story type film, but on set, it was a different story. She said that she was coerced into performing intimate scenes, and wasn't given much say in the matter even though she had been kept in the dark.
In an interview with Hindi Rush, she said that the atmosphere on Hate Story 3 was very warm, and that her co-stars were mindful about her comfort. She said that she took on the role as a challenge, and consulted her mother beforehand. 'I needed the job, and it wasn't like directors and producers were queueing up to work with me. I spoke to a few friends, who told me not to overthink. I spoke to my mother, and she gave me positive feedback. I gathered the courage and did the movie,' Zareen said. She said that while she comes from an 'open' family, her grandparents are 'namazis'.
Also read – Zareen Khan recalls how comparisons to Katrina Kaif impacted her career negatively: 'I was given so many names, was called a failure'
Opening up about her experience on Aksar 2, she said, 'I didn't want to get typecast. I did Hate Story, but I wasn't keen on doing more such films. I will never say anything negative about Hate Story because it was a job that I did, and it opened doors for me. When I went for a narration for Aksar, the director Anant Mahadevan told me clearly, 'We're not making a Hate Story'. I'll always remember these words for the rest of my life, because I was concerned if there were going to be any bold scenes in the film. But when the shoot started, every other scene there was some kiss happening.'
She said that she didn't take the daily surprises too well, and raised her concerns with the director. But he blamed the decisions on the producers. In the end, Zareen felt that she became the villain in the producers' eyes because the director didn't defend her stance. I wasn't invited to the premiere of my own film, that's how bad things became. Negative articles circulated about me, saying that I was difficult to work with.'
Zareen said that she was disillusioned by the experience, and didn't want to be a part of a toxic industry any more. Asked if her co-star stood up for her, she said that he was also not powerful enough to say anything. She also highlighted how different the same situation would've been for a male actor. 'They would be called a stud for doing these films, where I…'