Hina Khan: I am looking forward to doing loads of work this year

After 17 years in the industry, Hina Khan is clear about what shapes an actor’s journey now — not past work, but the willingness to take risks. Having stepped away from television at the peak of her popularity and recently navigated a two-year break due to illness, she is looking at a fresh, more flexible phase of her career.

Hina says, “It’s not about your body of work. It’s not about what kind of projects you’ve done as an actor. I think it is because of taking that risk,” she says.


For her, the real shift began when she moved away from television — a space where she was firmly established. “When you move away from a certain platform or certain space where you are known, like in television, and then you step out, and you want to try new things… it becomes tougher. Especially, I think for girls from television, it is tougher because you know how it works there — the whole story and everything is from a woman’s perspective.”




At the same time, she acknowledges a gradual change in the industry. “I’m happy about the fact that things are changing. People from television are doing mainstream OTT and are doing well for themselves. I feel those lines are blurring.”

Her momentum was interrupted by a two-year sabbatical following a breast cancer diagnosis. The break came soon after her Punjabi film debut with Shinda Shinda No Papa. “I did a hit film Shinda Shinda No Papa, which was my Punjabi film debut. I could have done great work there, but unfortunately, I became unwell. So two years got consumed,” she shares.

‘I have this side which is inclined towards love stories’Now preparing to return, Hina is keen to explore a range of roles. “I am looking forward to doing loads of work this year. I want to play a spy, a negative character or an agent. I am drawn to a character with a dual personality. I have this side which is inclined towards love stories.”

Her approach to work has also shifted. She adds, “I want to do something that finishes in 40–50 days. OTT, film or a finite show is perfect.”