Actor Hina Khan, who recently completed 12 years in the entertainment industry, has reflected on her journey. She remarked that when she started out, it was an entirely different landscape.
In an interview, she said that she has turned down huge amounts of money in her career and that quitting her hit show, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, was like being 'born again'.
'We are not treated the way we used to be. Eight years, I went to my sets, came back home and slept. I did not know about fashion trends, I did not know what was happening in the outside world. It was like I was born again when I left my show. I had to start again from the beginning - how I am supposed to look, what I am supposed to wear and say,' Hina told The Times of India about how television actors are perceived.
She added, 'But now things have changed, people’s perceptions have changed. Now I am given equal importance like other Bollywood celebs, whether it is about how I am dressed, my hairstyle or my vacations.'
She said that in her career, she has turned down 'huge amounts of money' to get where she's at today.
After a successful stint on TV, Hina transitioned to films with Hacked, in 2020. 'Content is the king for me so whatever I choose to take upon — an artsy film or a full-fledged commercial film — the content has to be appealing and interesting,' she had told Hindustan Times, about making creative choices in the future.
'When I look back at where I started off from to where I am now, all that I have experienced has been very overwhelming and I am grateful to God for giving me some of the best experiences in life through these 12 years,' she said about her journey in the industry.