Zarine Khan wouldn’t have dreamt of ending up a performing artist

When she weighed close to a 100 kgs in 2005, Zarine Khan wouldn’t have dreamt of becoming an actor. She managed to shed 30 kgs and bagged a dream role opposite Salman Khan in the 2010 box office disaster, Veer. Being panned for her weight, Zarine hit the gym with vengeance and on Tuesday, shared her magical transformation. She now a svelte 57 Kgs. Zarine made headlines last year for her striking facial similarity with actor Katrina Kaif. She was even nicknamed Fatrina — a fatter version of Katrina.

“I had to be overweight for my role in Veer, but now, I want to look fitter and better. I am 5 ft 7 inches tall and have a big built, so my weight needs to suit me. Right now, I am 57kgs, and I want to maintain it. I don’t want to become a size zero, because I feel Indian women should be voluptuous.

Interestingly, she hired none other than Katrina’s fitness trainer, Yasmin Karachiwala to help her shed the flab. “I now do a lot of cardio, pilates, regular workouts. I eat every two hours to increase my metabolic rate — I eat everything from pasta, noodles to rice and rotis but no sweets and no fried food.” Her inspiration, she says, is her mentor, Salman, opposite whom she stars in another movie this year. “He’s really happy that I’m getting fitter.”

I’d rather be choosy: Zarine

“After a debut of that size, alongside Salman Khan, I can’t afford to make the wrong choices and go on signing films by the kilos,” said the actress, who began her tinseltown career with this year’s period film, Veer.

She was in Kolkata to promote a lineup of mobiles launched by Sky Mobiles, a Kolkata-based mobile company, that recently signed her up as their brand ambassador.

“One funny thing is, my name is actually spell as ‘Zareen’. But throughout the production of Veer and thereafter the media spelt it as ‘Zarine’.

And after Veer I decided to let it be since I’d be labeled a ‘numerlogy-ist’ if I suddenly changed the spelling of my name,” said the actress with a wry smile.

Despite the outcome of her debut film being not exactly very encouraging, Zarine said she had been approached with a lot of movies but was taking her time on deciding on them.

The actress, who said she enjoyed reading the works of Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, said she was spending a lot of time these days reading scripts and studying the world of films.

When asked what kind of movies she was looking to work in, she said said simply, “I am looking for scripts that exploit my potential. “I am working on a movie right now. It goes on floors by the end of this year, but I can’t divulge anything more than that,” said the 26-year-old beauty.

When asked if this ‘movie’ was the sequel to the 2007 Salman Khan starrer Partner where she is rumoured to have replaced Katrina Kaif, she said she say ‘couldn’t comment on that’. On Salman Khan, Zarine still sticks the industry standard ‘We-are-just-friends’ answer.

And on being incessantly pitched against Katrina Kaif, she said, “I guess in the film world, comparisons will be there. Everybody is similar to somebody. We just have to read a bit less into all that.” “I wasn’t supposed to be in the movies. I was going to be a doctor but I ended up here. It’s all destiny I guess,” she said looking at the heavens.

Salman Khan Follows Zarine Now

Why Salman Khan is following Katrina Kaif’s look-alike Zarine Khan? He is following her on Twitter and apart from being good friends; our Sallu Bhai is helping her grow in the B-Town and is suggesting her name to many of his filmmaker friends.

The first look of Zarine Khan in ‘Veer’ mesmerized many and she is termed as an endless beauty. She has many fans and now one of them is her ‘Veer’ hero Salman, who follows her on Twitter now.

Is there anything cooking up between them? Both the actors were also seen together at Aamir Khan’s bash for Argentina musician Gustavo Sanataolla.

Not only that, Zarine and Salman had also performed together on the IIFA stage. Now, its twitter which is bringing them together, but superhot actress, Katrina Kaif may have some problems with all these favours.

Zarine Khan - Is she the next Katrina Kaif?

Salman Khan is one mystically enigmatic person who is as mysterious as the baffling Bermuda Triangle itself.

And perhaps even a legendary Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot would give up submissively.

While trying to unravel his true side. Just when we were thinking that Salman has finally mellowed down.

And has found his perfect and permanent soul mate in the form of Katrina Kaif (who erased or, at least, licked. The wounds inflicted by Aishwarya Rai), eyebrows got raised as talks surfaced of their splitsvilla.

And now that the Kat is out of Salman’s bag, he has already bought himself a new cat in the form of Fatrina aka Zarine Khan, the same gal who debuted opposite Salman in Veer.

And heads were turned to an angle of 180 degrees when Salman silently shocked everyone.

By tagging along Zarine alongside her in a recent party held at Aamir Idiot Khan’s house. Mumbai Mirror bakes hot and fresh, “Heads turned when Zarine and Salman walked in together. And soon enough, there were hushed whispers doing the rounds at the party. Zarine was lugging on to Salman sleeve throughout the party. Though he spent most of his time talking to Aamir, he didn’t mind her presence at all.”

Now, though some call him unlucky in love (much like many of his films like Saajan or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai), one wonders if Zarine Khan may just phase out to be the next Katrina Kaif chapter. Lust, love, filmdom and then goodbye……….

Zarine Khan's fight against the flab

Never mind the controversy surrounding her weight when Salman Khan starrer Veer was releasing.

Zarine Khan was candid enough to admit that there was a point when she used to weigh more than one hundred kilos.

But Zarine, we hear, is aiming to touch Kareena Kapoor’s weight.Salman’s girl has hit the gym with a vengeance and.

She is not only going got daily work-outs, Zarine has opted for a combination of everything that she could have done.

“I am going for workouts for six days a week. I let my muscles recover on a Sunday. I have become very regular with my work-outs.

And try not to miss even one day whatever are be my engagements for the day,” she says. Not only this.

Zarine has hired three separate trainers for every kinds of training she does in the morning. “My workout regime.

Includes Pilates for an hour every morning with Yasmine Karachiwala. I do weight training thrice a week on alternate days again with Yasmine.

I do Bootcamping thrice a week on alternate days with Ajit Mohite. The days I feel very tired to do a bootcamp.

I make sure I do some kind of cardio exercises like brisk walking, swimming , jogging etc.,” says the actor.

Though Zarine is reading a lot of scripts, she says that she hasn’t signed on the dotted line yet. “I am reading a few scripts and some of them are really good also. But I haven’t made my mind up on what would be my next film. I will surely let you know when I freeze on something,” she ends with a smile.

Zarine-Katrina look-alike was dimaag ka khel

Veer has released and more or less gone from the theatres. Along with it has subsided the topic.

That made for screaming headlines for most part of the film's promotion i.e. debutant Zarine Khan being the look-alike of Katrina Kaif.

Filmmaker Anil Sharma was never too happy with the comparisons and continues to maintain that it was more a game of perception building than anything else.

It was all a media perception that Zarine looked like Katrina. So much was written, said, heard and gossiped around for months that.

When people saw Zarine for the first time, the instant question that came to their mind was 'Kya yeh sach mein Katrina jaisi hai?", says.

Anil Sharma who did make a mega film in Veer but couldn't quite keep the pace (and the conflict) intact for its entire duration.

Remembering the times when Zarine had come first on board, Sharma says fondly, "She is a nice Mumbai girl with her middle class values intact.

The luck was on her side that Salman spotted her, showed us her photographs and we liked them. She worked hard to reach the position where she is in today. She got Veer through a screen test and it's sad if some still choose to call her as a Katrina look-alike."

Through the very first pictures of Zarine that were revealed to the media, the perception building game began which carried on for weeks at stretch. Ultimately she came close to being a Katrina clone though due to her good luck, she didn't fall into the Sneha Ullal trap who could never come out of the 'Aishwarya Rai look-alike syndrome' even years after Lucky - No Time For Love. A good performance in Veer meant that after a while, she came on her own and even audience started looking at her as Zarine rather than someone who bore some similarity to Katrina.

"Aisa hi hota hai", smiles Sharma, "When a magician shows us something, we get an illusion. However, the moment you are able to get that out of your mind and take control of yourself you don't fall under any illusion. The same happened with Zarine too. After all, naak, baal, aankh, sab hi toh alag hain! Jab parda uthta hai to sab saaf dikhayi deta. Yeh sab dimaag ka khel hai!"

This is the reason why it would only be helpful for the newcomer if there is some restraint shown in bringing up the topic of any similarity that she bears with Katrina Kaif. It may be natural or perhaps designed but for any newcomer, it may get her a moment of recognition but not necessarily huge benefits in the long run. We have seen Sneha Ullal going into oblivion after her brief 'hey, check her out, doesn't she look like Aishwarya Rai' phase.

With Zarine promising to be much more than just a Katrina Kaif clone and looking extremely confident as an actor for her very first film, it only makes sense to see her 'as-is' rather than any preconceived notion of diverting the conversation towards a topic that may not necessarily be conducive for her status as an actor performer.

Zarine Khan replaces Katrina Kaif

After making a not so dream debut Zarine Khan seems to have struck gold. Her resemblance to Katrina Kaif seems to be working.

In her favour and if grapevine is to be believed she has replaced Katrina from the sequel of the 2007 hit Partner. The David Dhawan directed movie stared Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Govinda and Lara Dutta.

Zarine Khan remains tight lipped about the project and says it is to early for her to disclose anything. Even film's director David Dhawan says.

It is too early to talk about the cast of the movie which is expected to start shooting this year. Well, Zarine Khan will be on Cloud Nine and why not as not every body double gets a leading role in Bollywood.

Zarine Khan The Clone of Katrina Kaif

Zarine Khan the co-star of Veer movie with Salman Khan is said to be a total clone of Katrina Kaif.

We had a look at that new “aspiring” star and compared her to Bollywood’s Katrina Kaif.

From a distance away, we can believe that Zarine Khan looks like Katrina Kaif. But then on a closer look.

We notice that this new girl is completely different. If we have to share our opinion, then of course Katrina Kaif is much better to look at. At least “pa coment dir p pete!”

Well it is said that Katrina Kaif relationship with Salman Khan is broken and poor Sallu (Salopar!) is trying to find clones of Katrina in other girls.

In response to that, Katrina said “if Salman misses me and wants to work with girls who look like me that is so sweet!“

On the other side Bollywood gossipers are saying that Zarine Khan is doing all she can to impress Salman Khan.

Well our analysis shows that Zarine Khan will be the next star of Bollywood. You know why!

Veer- Zarine Khan the New Katrina On the promo list!

After half the world kept guessing that the new launch of a fresh face in the film ‘Veer’ had an uncanny resemblance to Katrina Kaif she was finally found giving a press meet officially allowed by the film makers. This fresh face really had a very striking resemblance said most of the people present there.

According to reports, she was dressed in the Katrina way with a sari that looked beautiful on her. The Red and Green assemble draped her 5ft 8in frame in the most aesthetically appealing way and she looked stunning.

At the meet the actress said that she was indeed honoured to be in the film and when she had gone to meet Salman on the sets of ‘Yuvvraj’ she had gone with an autograph book for his autograph. It was then that Salman Khan had told her that she would soon be signing Autograph books herself, at which she was a bit confused, later she knew that it was because she was selected as the leading lady for ‘veer’.

This is one new comer who has hit it off instantly well with the media. According to reports as she was late in coming for the meet she hastily pardoned herself in chaste Hindi to all there. Then she also denied that she resembled Katrina, saying that when she looked into the mirror she never really found any resemblance as she finds Katrina extremely beautiful and she thinks she is no where near her however she quickly added that since childhood she was told that she looked like her mother.

When asked about Salman’s absence she said that it was good that he was not there otherwise he would have taken all the limelight.The young actress was all smiles at the press meet and if this is how she conducts herself there is not a soul that can stop her from gaining great heights in the industry. We wish her all the best!

Zarine Khan talks about Katrina Kaif and Shah Rukh Khan

Zarine Khan is thrilled about comparisons to Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif. Salman Khan’s ladylove in Veer, Zarine, says.

If she had been a guy, would have wedded Katrina Kaif.At the same time, Zarine Khan has been much impressed by the promos of Shah Rukh’s ‘My Name Is Khan’. She wonders if she gets any chance to work with King Khan as no one knows the possibilities.

Zarine’s view about Katrina is that she is extremely beautiful and cannot take her eyes off from her.

She also feels plagued upon Kat due to her generous mentor. Kat helped her during photo shoots and make-ups.

There is no any speculation that Zarine is completely pleased with the contrast with Kat and takes as a compliment.

Can Veer girl Zarine break the Salman jinx?

The whole world is talking about Katrina Kaif look alike Zarine Khan's debut in the upcoming Salman Khan biggie, Veer.

What no one seems to notice is that Zarine actually has a bigger challenge.

At hand than merely living up to reigning Bollywood queen Katrina's glamour.

The debutant actress is the latest in a long line of girls introduced on the Hindi screen opposite Salman.

Zarine's challenge lies in the fact that no actress who has debuted opposite Salman has had much of a career in Bollywood.

Can Zarine break the Salman jinx? If she does, she will become the first newcomer.

Actress opposite Salman to achieve that rare feat at the Bollywood box-office.

Past track record, though, paints a negative picture. Way back in 1989, Bhagyashree made a hit debut with Salman in Maine Pyar Kiya. Her career, however, never really took off after that Sooraj Barjatya blockbuster, once she married flop actor Himalaya. Bhagyashree tried several comebacks ever since in movies as well as on TV but none of it had any impact.

"In Salman's films, girls don't have to do anything besides look pretty and dance well," says filmmaker Jag Mundhra. "So, his film's success hardly boosts an actress's career." Probably that's what happened to Nagma. She made her way into Hindi cinema with Baaghi in 1990 opposite Salman but failed to carve much of a Bollywood career. Later, she did bit roles in films like Yalgaar and King Uncle before making it big in south Indian films.

A year later, Salman again hit the screen with a new girl - Chandni in Sanam Bewafa. Although the Saawan Kumar-directed film was a superhit, Chandni could never make it big in Bollywood.

"Salman is a true example of a superstar. His films are largely built around him," says ad guru Prahlad Kakkar. "Plus, I feel actresses who work with Salman are too much in awe of him. That's not a positive approach."

Bhumika Chawla too made a smashing entry with Tere Naam opposite Salman in 2003. The film was a superhit but Bhumika vanished after a slew of flops such as Run, Silsiilay and Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha. In 2005, Salman's Lucky: No Time for Love created news when he cast Aishwarya Rai-look alike Sneha Ullal as his heroine, shortly after his break-up with Ash. The film flopped and Sneha's career never took off.

"Salman needs to be more intelligent while choosing girls for his films. They should fit the roles and characters more than anything else. He must be very cautious about it because they ultimately impact the film," says Kakkar.

Indeed, Sneha's choice seemed to be driven by emotion on Salman's part rather than any professional reason. Many people feel Zarine's casting is also driven by Salman's love for his current girlfriend Katrina. Given her towering superstar image, she might not have fitted the role in a maledominated film.

I couldn't take my eyes off Katrina Kaif - Zarine Khan

Debutante Zarine Khan doesn't mind being compared to her "Veer" co-star Salman. Khan's girlfriend Katrina Kaif and says.

That the actress is so beautiful that even she couldn't take her eyes off. "Being compared to Katrina Kaif is a huge compliment for me because I feel she is very beautiful.

When I am compared to her, I feel overwhelmed. I have met her a couple of times and she is so beautiful that even I couldn't take my eyes off her," Zarine told IANS.

"Being compared to her is always a delight. Personally speaking, when I see myself in the mirror, I find no similarities."

Zarine, who is playing female lead with Salman in "Veer", says that she wanted to be a doctor and that acting happened to her by chance.

"I was always a very brilliant student, but not a nerd type. I wanted to be a doctor. But I couldn't continue my studies due to a financial crisis and the responsibility of my Whole family fell on my shoulders. Acting happened by chance. Now I can be everything - a doctor, pilot, everything," said Zarine. "I was a struggling model and was looking for some kind of work to take care of my family.

I was doing very small print ads now and then for saris to earn money to run my house. One day I was home surfing the net when I got a call from Mukta Arts. They called me on the sets of 'Yuvvraaj'. There I met Salman.

"Salman is a huge actor and I am one of his great fans. I started talking to him like his fans would do. I had no clue that he was planning to take me in his film ('Veer'). Finally, when I asked for his autograph, he said, 'No sweetheart you will sign autograph for the world'. Later I got to know that he has selected me for this film," she added. Though Salman chose Zarine, she had to pass an audition test.

"They had auditioned lots of girls because the female lead has two different looks in the movie - one is Indian and other Western. Whoever they auditioned looked good in either of the looks, not both. Some had language problem too.

They tried me and I was lucky enough to fit into both the characters and they signed me," said Zarine. "Veer" is directed by Anil Sharma and produced by Vijay Dalani and Sunil A. Lulla. The makers kept Zarine's name secret for a long time.

"Even I got strict instructions to keep it a secret from friends and family. I was allowed to give some clue to my parents," she said. Asked why they were hiding her, she said: "I don't know. I was too junior to question them why they are asking me to do so. I just did what they asked me to do."

Set in colonial India, the film encapsulates a period when Britons enslaved India with their divide and rule policy and kings and nawabs fell for it, except for the Pindaris who preferred death to dishonour and fought till their last breath. Salman plays one of the bravest and strongest Pindari soldiers.

"It's a love story set in the backdrop of a war for independence. I play a Rajasthani princess," said Zarine. Salman is known as an angry man, but Zarine got to know the caring and understanding side of his personality.

"I had heard that he is a very tough guy, he hardly speaks. But he spoke to me very nicely... may be because I met him first as a fan. In due course I realised whatever has been written about Salman is not true. He is so sweet. He has a heart of gold. He is a very genuine man.

"While shooting sometimes I couldn't understand some parts of my role. I used to be scared that Salman would get angry. But he used to patiently explain how to go about it," said Zarine. She has already bagged a few offers but she hasn't signed any as she is waiting for the release of "Veer" Jan 22.