She started off as a Miss India contestant, took to modelling, hopped on to television reality shows and went on to play a significant part in two big banner films before finding her way into the small screen again. For Gauhar Khan, restricting herself to any one field was never really an option. “A lot of people thought that my decision to not stick to a particular medium was suicidal. I’m glad I proved them wrong,” she says.
Whether it was her show Khan Sisters (inspired by Keeping Up With The Kardashians), participating in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, Bigg Boss and more recently Khatron Ke Khiladi, television has worked out great for Gauhar. It doesn’t end there. She will soon be seen hosting Honey Singh’s talent hunt India’s Raw Star. But despite her flair for trying out all things new, and pushing the limits of creativity, she admits daily soaps are not her cup of tea. “I’ve been offered a lot of prime-time television shows by respectable production houses, but I just can’t see myself in a saas-bahu show.
Being part of a daily soap can be very demanding — they put in 14 to 18 hours of work every day to churn out an episode and I respect that. But truth be told, I am not ready for that kind of commitment. At least not for now. I admire people like Shah Rukh Khan and Sushant Singh Rajput who’ve made it to films after a successful stint in television, but I want to concentrate on my career in films at the moment,” she adds.
The actress who successfully pulled off the role of a sex worker in YRF’s Ishaqzaade is now gearing up for the release of Rajeev Javeri’s film Fever and is understandably excited about being a leading female protagonist on the big screen for the first time. “Fever is my first full-fledged film as a leading lady. I’m genuinely looking forward to it,” she adds.
When asked about her on-screen idols, Gauhar tells us that she takes inspiration from Priyanka Chopra’s performance in Barfi apart from looking at other iconic actresses’ works. She also considers herself lucky for making a foray at the “right time”. “This is the best time to make your career as an actor in films. The industry has intelligent writers and a vast variety of scripts to offer. I want to make the most of it when I can,” she adds.
As is the case with most people who make it big in the glamour world, Gauhar, following her stint in Big Boss, has been more in the news for her relationship with co-contestant Kushal Tandon than her work itself. Gauhar, however, has handled all the chatter like a true champ and believes she’d rather be remembered for her outspokenness than the linkup.
“More than my relationship with Kushal, I think people remember me for being brutally honest on the show. I’ve always spoken my mind with complete clarity. Good, bad or ugly — whatever it may be, I take complete responsibility for my decisions. I’m a strong and independent girl and that’s what reflects in my speech and attitude,” she says, unapologetically.
Gauhar and Kushal recently appeared together in the music video for maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s latest album. The actress tells us that the video has already got around five million hits so far. This is their third work venture together since Bigg Boss and Khatron Ke Khiladi.
Given that their professional pairing is clearly working, do they think they’re ready to further their personal commitments by walking down the aisle any time soon? “I love the concept of marriage and I have immense respect for the institution. Both Kushal and I surely want to get married but there are no immediate plans,” she says.
