The actor herself admits that despite being introduced by Salman, her journey here has not exactly been a smooth ride. “I think people have a grudge against me. Ever since I’ve stepped in the industry, they’ve been waiting to write me off. Whether it’s my looks or weight, nothing has been spared,” states Zarine, whose debut film itself saw her being constantly compared to actor Katrina Kaif. Ask her about it and she says, “Bollywood’s always been about comparisons. But it’s never easy for a newcomer when such comparisons are made between an actor who belongs to the same generation. I was being typecast even before my first film was out and somewhere that did take a toll.”
But while the actor’s taken it all in her stride, including the brickbats, what has her seething is being asked about not being part of more Salman movies. “I owe my career to Salman, but people have to understand that he’s not my secretary. I am already indebted to him for my break, why should I expect anything more from him. He has his own life too. It is ridiculous to keep expecting him to take care of all his heroines,” lashes out Zarine. Talking about the lull period right after her big ticket debut, Zarine explains that somehow filmmakers had gotten cautious of casting her due to the comparisons. “No one wants to take a risk here, when it comes without influence or friends,” she adds.
However, all this seems to be a thing of the past for the actor, who’s now looking forward to not only interesting work here, but also down South. “Yes, I have done Karikalan in the South with Vikram. Speaking Tamil was not easy, but I’m a good student and picked it up soon,” shares Zarine.
