Pakistani actress Nadia Jamil once got a chance to be part of the iconic Bollywood movie Veer-Zaara, which was directed by legendary Bollywood director Yash Chopra.
However despite the scale and prestige that came with the film, she actually rejected the role and didn’t take up the role out of a deeply personal reason.
Nadia, widely recognised for her powerhouse plays in TV dramas like Behadd and Meri Jaan recently shared the story while doing a special television appearance on the occasion of International Women’s Day celebrations.
Speaking frankly about her journey in life and career, the actress spoke of a turning point in her life when she met the late Yash Chopra and was offered this role in the film that was destined to become one of the most well-loved cross-border romances ever made in the history of Bollywood.
According to Nadia, the project discussions had been almost finished and the offer was nearly finalised.
At that instance, she was seriously considered for the role of Zaara, which went to Preity Zinta eventually.
However the timing of the opportunity coincided with a big moment in her personal life.
Nadia had just become a mother and her child was only 3-months old. Faced with the possibility of travelling and being away from home to shoot a movie, she had a hard time leaving her newborn baby behind.
Although her family totally supported her career and even pushed her to accept the project, Nadia said her priorities were clear.
Her mother had offered to be with her during the shoot in order to combine motherhood and work, but even so, the actress felt that the early months with her baby were too precious to miss.
Reflecting on that period, Nadia said that she was completely mesmerised by her child and wanted to be a part of those early moments.
In the end, she chose motherhood over the movie and that decision, she believes, became an important turning point in both her personal life and career.
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