Shehnaaz Gill, a Punjabi actress and singer, rose to prominence after appearing on Bigg Boss 13 in 2019. Following her appearance as a finalist on the Salman Khan-hosted reality show, her acting career in Bollywood took off, with roles in films like Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Thank You For Coming. This year, Shehnaaz also ventured into film production. Shehnaaz addressed Salman Khan on stage during her latest appearance on Bigg Boss 19 to promote her debut film Ikk Kudi, `Mere upar koi paise nahi laga raha, toh maine khud par laga diye.` In a recent chat with Faridoon Shahryar, she explained why she made the statement.
Shehnaaz Gill talks about getting used as a prop in Bollywood
Shehnaaz opened up about not receiving good offers in Bollywood, “That statement came from the fact that I am not getting good stories, and I am being used as a prop in films. I am seeing the same kind of stories; there is nothing unique, and they have no great messages. I was getting a lot of offers, but I feel putting that money on me should be worthwhile. I have been offered Punjabi films for the last five years, but I wasn’t doing them. I wanted someone to bet on me with a different concept. I wanted to make a comeback in the Punjab industry in a different way, especially when I was returning after 3-4 years. I was waiting for that.”
Shehnaaz on shifting back to Punjabi Industry
Shehnaaz went on to add, “A lot of people told me I wasted time. I don’t think so. That time I was learning, and that was very important. It’s crucial to understand scripts and films. I just didn’t want to do anything for the sake of it, because these things stay. I have experienced that and saw that people didn’t enjoy it; they wanted to see more of Shehnaaz. And I believe that if you are seen on screen even for two minutes, it should be impactful, but that wasn’t happening. I thought, why not do something in our own Punjabi industry where we can actually make a difference? Why are we just running behind Bollywood? I will work there someday, but first I want to prove myself. I am giving auditions for Bollywood, doing the best I can, but first proving myself as an actor was very important, and I am glad people are seeing that now.
Shehnaaz Gill also pointed out how Bollywood films cannot do without Punjabi songs. The actress praised the Punjabi business, saying, “The Punjabi industry is huge; Bollywood films don`t work unless they have a Punjabi song in them.” Our industry is so enormous that they have to use such songs and dance to them. The Punjabi industry has advanced to the next level. They are also doing well in movies. A lot of money and effort is being invested in movies, so I hope the audience watches and provides input so that we can improve.”
