MUMBAI: What’s with Salman Khan and girls walking the ramp? He ‘discovered’ Katrina Kaif, Sonakshi Sinha, Zareen Khan and now Hazel Keech when they were models.
The softspoken half-British half-Hindu Hazel Keech, who played the pivotal role of Kareena Kapoor’s best friend in the blockbuster Bodyguard, was Salman Khan’s mystery girl throughout the making of the film.
“It was planned that way. They wanted to keep the suspense. That’s why they cast an unknown girl in the role,” the softspoken Hazel tells Businessofcinema.com.
Hazel is far prettier in real than she was in Bodyguard. She laughs, “Well, the way I look was the decision of the director Siddique. The best thing about my role in Bodyguard was that I had a substantial part with Salman and Kareena.”
Hazel has been in Mumbai for six years now. “I did another film Billa in Tamil, which was a remake of Don. I played Helen’s role.”
Hazel goes into raptures about Salman. “He’s my guardian angel, my mentor. He spotted me a couple of years ago in London and said he’d keep me in mind if I suitable role came along. And he kept his word. That’s how I got Bodyguard.”
Hazel first met Salman on the sets of London Dreams in London. “I didn’t know he was going to be there. When I met him I told him I got no work while I was in Mumbai. He was very surprised to hear that. Three years later Bodyguard popped up. I guess Salman recommended me.”
As for those stories of Hazel being Salman’s girl, Hazel explains, “He called for his bike from home on the sets. I was watching him ride it. He showed me how to ride it. That’s it. It was really funny to read that we were in a relationship. I was like, ‘Wow, I wish I knew about it.’
Not once during the making of Bodyguard did Hazel feel like an outsider. “Producer Atul Agnihotri is such a wonderful producer. And Kareena with whom I had most of my scenes was so chilled out. She was really nice to me. We hung out together in Patiala. She’s such a big star, but has no starry hang-ups. I remember one day...
I had a big scene and my lines kept getting changed. Kareena told the director to let me get comfortable with the lines before we shot. It was such an honour to share screen space with Kareena.”
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