New Delhi: Bollywood actor Zareen Khan recently engaged in an 'Ask Me Anything' chat session on Reddit, where she candidly shared her experiences and thoughts on her career. Zareen, who made her debut in the film industry opposite Salman Khan in the 2010 film 'Veer', revealed that working with the superstar was an "intimidating" experience. While she didn't elaborate on the reasons, it's evident that acting alongside such a big name in the industry could be overwhelming for a newcomer. 


During the session, one user brought up the topic of Zareen's resemblance to Katrina Kaif, a comparison that had been made frequently in her early days in the movies. Surprisingly, Zareen expressed happiness over the comparison, as she was a fan of Katrina herself and admired her beauty. However, she later realized that being perceived as a look-alike hindered her chances of proving her individuality as an actor.  


A person asked, "People compared you a lot with Katrina Kaif in your early days in Bollywood. How did it make you feel and did it have any impact on your career?" 


The actor replied, "So when I entered this industry, I was literally like a lost child, since I don't come from a filmy background. So it made me feel really happy being compared to Katrina as I was her fan too, and found her really pretty. But it backfired on my career as the people of this industry didn't give me a chance to prove my individuality." 


Despite her debut with Salman Khan and subsequent films like ‘Housefull 2’, ‘Aksar 2’, and ‘1921’, Zareen struggled to leave a lasting impact in the industry. She also ventured into regional films, including the Punjabi film ‘Jatt James Bond’ and the Telugu film ‘Chankya’. Reflecting on the challenges faced by actors in the film industry, Zareen pointed out her disdain for the prevalent practice of favoring personal connections over talent. It is a known fact that the film industry can be highly nepotistic, making it difficult for outsiders to find their footing and get substantial opportunities. 


Zareen addressed the misconception that she had strong connections in Bollywood, which might have helped her get more roles. In response to a user's query about her limited film appearances despite having connections, she clarified that she actually lacked extensive connections in the industry and wasn't adept at engaging in superficial conversations. 


In 2021, Zareen Khan was seen in the film ‘Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele’, which was released on Hotstar.