‘No one will take you seriously’: Shehnaaz Gill on why she stopped working for free

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Shehnaaz Gill talks about her film with Sajid Khan being shelved and working for free. (Photo: Shehnaaz Gill/Instagram)Shehnaaz Gill rose to fame with Bigg Boss 13, where her chirpy personality and antics made her a fan favourite. During her stint on the show, host Salman Khan even dubbed her ‘Punjab Ki Katrina Kaif’. After Bigg Boss, the actor-singer received several film offers, including Sajid Khan’s 100%, which was also set to star John Abraham, Riteish Deshmukh and Nora Fatehi. In a recent interview, Shehnaaz opened up about the film being shelved and whether the setback affected her.On Sajid Khan’s 100% being shelved“I don’t take these things seriously. I feel it’s good that it didn’t happen because sometimes it’s better for it to not to be made. Until and unless your film is completely ready, do not talk about it because anything can happen at any time,” she said in an interview with Hindustan Times.Shehnaaz added that she does not want to disappoint the audience by raising their expectations about a project that may not be completed. “I know that tomorrow if the project isn’t completed, the audience will ask about it, and what will I answer? People also have high expectations and I don’t want to break their expectations,” said the actor.‘It is very important to charge for the work that you are doing’Shehnaaz Gill also spoke about the early phase of her career, when she worked for people without charging because of personal equations. Shehnaaz said that while she had done such work for free, it eventually affected how people valued her. “It is very important to charge for the work that you are doing. If you don’t, then people start undervaluing you and your work. No one will take you seriously, and it has happened in many music videos before,” she said.Shehnaaz added that there comes a point when an actor has to say no, because the issue is no longer just about getting work but also about being valued for it. “And, after a point, you have to say no because it’s not about work anymore, it’s about being valued,” shared the actor.Also Read: From a warm hug, flagging off the race to Trisha: Inside Ajith and Vijay’s Silverstone momentStory continues below this adShehnaaz Gill was last seen in the Punjabi film Ishqnama, which hit theatres on July 24, 2026. She will next be seen opposite Gippy Grewal in Singh Vs Kaur 2, which is set to release on September 24, 2026.