Hina Khan on introducing boyfriend Rocky Jaiswal to her parents: ‘I gave them time and now they love him more than me’

Actor Hina Khan has revealed that coming from an orthodox Kashmiri family, “becoming an actor was never an option.” She revealed that her father “was livid” and her mom’s relatives “cut ties” with them upon hearing the news of her being chosen for the lead role in a TV serial. Hina shot to fame with the TV show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, on which she played the role of protagonist Akshara.

The actor has shared her journey from moving to Delhi for studies to switching to films after becoming a household name post her television stint, in a Humans of Bombay post. Talking about her college days, Hina said, “My parents were even hesitant to send me to Delhi for college but somehow, I convinced Papa. So, when a friend suggested auditioning for a serial, I said no. Upon insistence, I gave it a go & the casting directors loved me! The next day, I was selected for the lead role! I moved to Bombay without telling my parents; I was 20. The production people helped me find a place. It took me weeks to tell Papa. He was livid. Mom’s friends & relatives cut ties with us.”

Hina said that she eventually managed to convince her parents about her acting career but her father agreed only on the condition that she would first complete her studies. She continued, “I’d shoot all night, study in the breaks, then fly to Delhi to give my exams. The family stress was constantly looming–I told Mom to not bother, but it wasn’t easy. We’d argue a lot. But every year, my serial was the number 1 show; I fell in love with the camera.”

Hina said that initially she had a ‘no shorts, no steamy scenes policy’ but she eventually decided to make her own rules. Talking about her parents’ reaction to her boyfriend Rocky Jaiswal, Hina said, “Just when my parents had gotten used to me being an actor, I told them I was seeing Rocky. It came as a shock; everybody in our family has had arranged marriages. But I gave them time & now, they love him more than me!”

In the post, Hina also opened up about convincing her parents about a kissing scene in one of her films. “I said ‘yes’ only after they understood it was needed for the role,” she said.

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Hina concluded, “It’s been 11 years since I first faced the camera–the little girl growing up in Srinagar would’ve never imagined walking Cannes. But a series of difficult choices have gotten me here. From Srinagar to Bombay, from being the first actor in my family to dating someone out of the community to giving up easy money at my peak, I’ve proudly carved my own way.”

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