Zoya Afroz : I knew Sonali would do well in Bigg Boss

Femina Miss India International 2013 Zoya Afroz was in her hometown Lucknow on Friday to attend IIM-L’s Manfest-Varchavsa.
Femina Miss India International 2013, Zoya Afroz, who made her Bollywood debut with the Himesh Reshammiya starrer The Xpose, says it was only acting that she had considered as a career option even when she was growing up. “My roots are from Lucknow.I was born here and later on, moved to Mumbai. It’s very cliched, but I only wanted to pursue acting and be a Miss India. There isn’t any back-up plan if my acting career doesn’t take off. I will continue struggling, aur koi plan nahi hai,” says the beauty queen-turned-actress, who was in the city to judge the Campus Princess event at IIM Lucknow’s annual fest, Manfest-varchavsa.
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WHAT’S THE HURRY?
Zoya is in no hurry to do another film after The Xpose, which had an average run at the box office. “I mostly want to do lead roles. I’m open to doing offbeat films, any interesting story where I can showcase my acting skills. I’m reading 2-3 scripts now but haven’t finalised any yet,” she says. How about television, considering she’s done quite a few shows on the small screen during her childhood, including Sonpari, Jai Mata Ki, Hum Saath Saath Hai and Kora Kaagaz? “I’m not interested in doing serials. As a kid, it was fun doing them. But you know, it’s like a job where they send you home only to sleep. That’s what my friends have been doing. Unke paas toh workout karne ka bhi time nahi hota, and their skin is messed up because they are required to wear make-up for almost 20 hours a day,” she says.
CROWNING GLORY
Zoya bagged a film in the same year in which she won the Miss India title. So does she attribute it all to the mileage the beauty pageant win gave her? “Yes, it is a stepping stone, but then it’s not the only way to it. It gives you a platform and can get you auditions, but after that, it’s only your acting skills that will take you through. People put so much money in making films, so they can’t take someone who cannot act. After the first film, it’s between you and the audience. If they love you, people will cast you again. The journey keeps becoming difficult after that,” she avers.
NOT CONTROVERSY’S CHILD
There were reports in the media of Zoya slapping The Xpose co-actor Sonali Raut during the promotion of their film on Comedy Nights With Kapil. So is Zoya watching Sonali these days on Bigg Boss 8? “I have watched a few episodes this season. Sonali Raut is doing quite well. I expect her to be there till the end. Even when she was going, I knew she would do well in the Bigg Boss house,” she says, adding, “I was also offered Bigg Boss but I refused it. I can never be a part of it, maybe because I’m a reserved person. Since my acting career demands me to be a little open to people, I make myself that way, but in reality, I’m a quiet person. Being on Bigg Boss, 24x7 you are in front of the camera. I’m not a person who can fight and take so much pressure.”
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