Hina Khan can’t believe she has completed 14 years in showbiz. But it’s been a great journey so far, she says. From playing the demure Akshara in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai for eight years, to being the real Hina Khan in Bigg Boss 11, to walking the red carpet at Cannes for the first time in 2019, she has come a long way. The actress says, “Everything that happened to me was God’s will. For someone like me who came here without a godfather, every opportunity as a highlight and I am grateful for everything.”
Her debut role helped her grow as an actor. She shares, “I was a part of Yeh Rishta... for eight years. I was fortunate that my role as Akshara kept evolving and it also gave me a lot of recognition.”
Nothing comes easy though and Hina admits that a career in showbiz involves a lot of hard work. She says, “I have worked very hard and it affected my health, too. But there have been many advantages as well. I have fulfilled my dream and this profession has given me a lot. So I always advise youngsters who want to pursue acting that they have to be patient and be willing to put in a lot of hard work. And they also have to constantly work on themselves. I am someone who likes to learn and I always accept my shortcomings. It is important to see where you lack and improve on that. It makes me a better performer and a decent human being (smiles).”
On the personal front, Hina lost her father during the pandemic and it has been a difficult phase for her. “I haven’t yet come to terms with it. But it is a part of life and I share a great relationship with my family. I’m happy in my personal life, too (she has been in a relationship with supervising producer Rocky Jaiswal for 13 years). I couldn’t have asked for more,” says Hina, who has shot for a web show and has a few other projects lined up. “I am in no rush. Now I want to focus on quality work rather than quantity.”
