Gunjan Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; August 2, 2019)

Model-turned-actress Warina Hussain had a dream debut last year when she starred in Salman Khan’s LoveYatri alongside Aayush Sharma. However, Warina admits that Bollywood was never on her mind. “I started as a model at a young age. But after a few years I realised that I never attended college, I don’t have a degree and will not be able to choose a different career option. So I thought ab yahin rehna hai toh I might as well take the next step. Luckily, things have been great for me,” says Warina.

The actress adds that this wouldn’t have been possible without Salman Khan, who is also her mentor now. She says, “Salman is a bundle of positivity and he is very supportive. Whenever I am in doubt, I reach out to him. Mentally, I am at peace knowing that he is there for me.”

‘PEOPLE RECOGNISE ME NOW AND I LIKE IT’
While Warina is one-film-old, the actress has gained popularity. She reveals that before becoming an actor, she would travel in autos post-3am just to chill. “I love my auto rides. It’s just me and my earphones and we would travel around Mumbai. But one day an auto driver recognised me asked for a selfie. It was a new experience for me,” she says, adding, “Life has changed in many ways post LoveYatri. Earlier I had a very normal routine. Kabhi film dekhne chale gaye, gym chale gaye. But now, wherever I go, people come up to me and ask for pictures. And I am not complaining about it at all. In fact, I appreciate all the love coming my way.”

‘SALMAN KHAN HAS A HEART OF GOLD’
Salman is known for giving opportunities to new talents. Warina, who was launched by the actor, says that it’s a big responsibility. “He has a heart of gold. He has given opportunities to a lot of people and I feel really lucky that I got this chance, too. I think that it is our responsibility to live up to the chance that he has given us. If we don’t make good use of it, or if we don’t work hard, then it’s pointless. I don’t feel pressurised that ‘Oh, I have been launched by Salman Khan, I have to give my best’, but yes, I do feel that it is my responsibility to not let him down.”

‘I STARTED MY MODELLING CAREER IN DELHI’
Warina moved to Delhi from Afghanistan in 2013 and started working as a model in the capital. However, the actress has moved to Mumbai now. She says, “Delhi will always be special because I started my modelling career here, but after a while, I shifted to Mumbai. Delhi is more about fashion shows, ramp walks and I never wanted to do that. Mumbai is all about commercial modelling, you can get ads or work in music videos. That’s what I wanted to do, so I shifted to Mumbai.”