She played the leading role in Hindi television show "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai", but it was her stint in "Bigg Boss 11" which gave her the tag of one of the most stylish divas of the small screen. Hina Khan says that it was not easy for her to move away from the image of a "bahu".
"Honestly, it was a challenge for me. I never thought I will reach or achieve this goal so fast because breaking that stereotyped image of the 'bahu' that I played for eight years, where I wore all Indian clothes, was more difficult. I have done (one of the) longest running shows of Indian TV and it was difficult," Hina told IANS in an interview here.
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"When it is a one or two years long show, it is easy to move on (from a character), but for me, breaking that stereotype image was tough. However, I took it positively. I will not give up," added the actress, who walked as showstopper for Kolkata-based designer label Osaa by Adarsh at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Spring-Summer 2018.
Hina's stint in "Bigg Boss" has given her a transformation, and she would like to take another leap of faith with films.
"I want to do good work -- whether it is TV or films. I am reading scripts as far as films are concerned. So if something materialises, I would definitely like to take it up.
"As of now, I would like to take a break from reality shows. As far as TV and films are concerned, I am considering films to again take a leap of faith and take one step ahead in my career and see how it goes. You should never give up. You never know people have seen me in a different light for three months, so it might even click," said Hina.
On how the show helped her evolve as a person, Hina said: "It has given me a lot of strength and made me a stronger person. As far as style is concerned, I experimented a lot in the show and people liked my looks.
"I was happy, so it's not over for me. I still have a long way to go," said the actress, who feels her appearance at LFW is a "privilege and just another baby step" that she is taking towards progress.
"There is still a long way to go. The race is never over. It's not over for me," said Hina, who had lost "Bigg Boss 11" to Shilpa Shinde.
But what about all the flak she received for her statements during the show?
"'Bigg Boss' is not at all a scripted show, but a very well-edited show. It's a brilliantly edited show. You see something, you react so whosoever said whatever... I don't blame anyone..."
On her LFW debut as a showstopper, Hina said it was exciting. She described the designer's collection as a comfortable blend of "modern and Indian".
