Daily Times

Gauahar Khan tied the knot with Ismail Darbar’s musician son Zaid Darbar in December 2020.

Over a year later, the actress says this has been the best phase of her life. Excerpts from a candid chat with Bombay Times where Gauahar talks about the bond Zaid and she share, her career decisions and Bigg Boss.

How much has life changed after marriage?

Everything that I waited for, dreamt of and envisioned has come true. I have been busy working as well. When I am hopping from one project to another, in the midst of all that, Zaid believes in me. He believes that I can balance my personal and professional life. I feel truly blessed to have him. People have conditioned their minds that after marriage, one loses their freedom or has to make adjustments. But I think all this is very subjective and depends on the kind of person that you are. We understand each other well. Sometimes, people don’t know how to handle the situation when something goes wrong. In our case, we have understood the point that when one of us is hyper, the other one must stay calm. We have a lot of respect in our relationship and have maintained the balance.

Like many other newly-wed couples, are you also asked about when you plan to go the family way?

I am lucky that my in-laws are chilled out and understand the equation that Zaid and I have with each other. We are two individuals who make our own decisions; nobody interferes in our decisions. My family also doesn’t pressurise me for anything, they have always been supportive of me. People may ask out of care and love, and we answer them, but otherwise, we haven’t allowed anyone to cross that line.

On the career front, you have done films like Ishaqzaade, Begum Jaan, 14 Phere, etc, but do you feel you could have done a lot more?

The kind of opportunities that I got in my life and career, who gets that? I won’t change anything about it. I have got to work with the best banners and production houses. If a person sees his glass half empty, that person always sees things that way. But my life has been about a glass half-filled. With the kind of opportunities I got, I made the best of it and I am absolutely happy with it.

Do you feel with the web medium opening up, actors have a good chance now to realise their potential?

Digital shows have opened up a space for all of us. One can’t fool the OTT audience. For me, OTT has been a boon and blessing, and the best thing that I was looking forward to. With the kind of makers I am working with, I feel that my potential is finally being utilised. I have so much more to look forward to as an actor because this medium has a lot to offer.

You were the winner of Bigg Boss season 7 and post that, you have often appeared on the reality show. How much has it changed over the years according to you?

With the kind of exposure the show had in 2013, it was limited to being a TV show. But now, there is a change in the Bigg Boss format because there’s social media. Things have changed and people see the show differently today. I have always loved the show and its format.

OTT apart, are you looking at TV shows too?

I don’t know. Of course I won’t say never, but as of now, I don’t really know if I want to do TV. In my head the kind of actor I am and the potential I have, I don’t know if I would enjoy doing daily soaps.

I know the audience loves watching slice of life and family dramas, but daily soaps can go on for years and I don’t know if I will be able to play the same character for that long.

It’s not that I don’t have the patience, but it’s the monotony that I cant have in my life. But I feel that never say never.