Zareen Khan opens up on playing a lesbian, says 'makers were skeptical to cast me'

Zareen Khan plays a homosexual woman in the recently released film, Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele.
Zareen Khan plays a homosexual woman in the recently released film, Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele.
Zareen Khan plays a homosexual woman in the recently released film, Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele.

Zareen Khan plays a homosexual woman in the recently released film, Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele. While makers were sceptical to cast her in the role initially, the actress says it is not the first time that she has faced such a situation.

"It is not the first time that people have been sceptical to cast me in their film if it is a non-glamorous role. They have this whole thing because of all the previous work that I had done. This was not the first time that people were sceptical," said Zareen.

"But, yes, I was asked for an audition and I was more than happy to give because the other person does not know if I would be able to pull off this character. They loved the auditions and I was a part of this film," she added.

<em>A still from the film featuring Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan</em>
A still from the film featuring Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan

This is the first time Zareen was seen playing a lesbian. Did she have any inhibitions portraying the character at first?

"It wasn't really difficult I would say. As for the body language, I have been a tomboy all my life, so that trait, which I was always told to correct, helped me here in the film.. (but) The thought occurred to me -- because I am not a homosexual -- that I shouldn't end up doing something unknowingly, saying or portraying something that might offend the LGBTQ community," she admitted.

But once Zareen Khan, who was launched by Salman Khan in the 2010 film Veer, realised that the emotions of love are going to be the same irrespective of one's sexuality, it became easier for her to portray the character honestly. 

"Then I thought that this is about portraying the emotion of love, which would be felt the same as a straight person would because emotions are the same. I just had to be honest to the emotion of love and just portray it on screen with all honesty," she said.

Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar VIP.

Also read | From Bombay Begums to Hello Jee, OTT witnesses a new spike in women-oriented series

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