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Rubina Dilaik recalls being told her face looked ‘too negative’ to play a protagonist: ‘I thought maybe I wasn’t enough'

Rubina Dilaik returns to Khatron Ke Khiladi season 15, sharing past struggles with self-acceptance and body image issues that affected her.

Updated on: May 12, 2026, 10:03:19 IST
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Actor Rubina Dilaik is all set to participate in Rohit Shetty’s reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi season 15. The actor will once again face her fears after previously appearing on the show in 2022. Ahead of her return, Rubina opened up about one of the biggest personal struggles she faced in her career and recalled being told that she had a “negative face” and would never be cast as a lead actor. (Also Read: Khatron Ke Khiladi: Rubina Dilaik says Hina Khan was the first to call to wish her all the best, hails her ‘resilience’)

Rubina Dilaik recalls a director’s harsh comments about her appearance

Rubina Dilaik recalls director's harsh words about her looks.
Rubina Dilaik recalls director's harsh words about her looks.

In a recent interview with Screen, Rubina spoke candidly about her insecurities regarding her appearance and how it took her years to fully accept herself. She shared that she often faced comments about her looks and body during the early years of her career.

Rubina said, “I never had that confidence in my looks; I have struggled a lot to embrace myself. We are given the pressure of looking a certain way. When I came into the industry, I carried baby fat; people used to call me ‘Himachali seb.’ They would comment on my baby fat and baby chin. One of the directors once told me, ‘Your face is so negative, you should do negative roles. I don’t think anybody will cast you in a positive role or as a protagonist.’”

She added, “I had braces. I thought maybe I was not enough. There were a lot of maybes. It took a lot of time to understand who I am and where I want to head. I felt if I had to look like others, then I am not Rubina Dilaik. That helped me understand that we have unique imprints, and if I cannot acknowledge that, I will not be able to give that to my daughters. It took a great deal to overcome that.”

Apart from Rubina, several other celebrities, including Jasmine Bhasin, Karan Wahi, Rithvik Dhanjani, Vishal Aditya Singh and Avika Gor are reportedly set to return to the show again. Some of the new contestants this season include Ruhaanika Dhawan, Orry, Harsh Gujral, Avinash Mishra, Farrhana Bhat and Gaurav Khanna, among others.

About Rubina Dilaik

Rubina began her television career with the show Chotti Bahu and gained recognition with her debut itself. She later appeared in shows such as Saas Bina Sasural, Punar Vivah and Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev. However, it was her role in the 2016 show Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki that made her a household name.

The actor later participated in Bigg Boss 14 and emerged as the winner of the season. Rubina was most recently seen in the reality show Pati Patni Aur Panga alongside her husband Abhinav Shukla, where the couple won the trophy.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Riya Sharma

Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.

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