New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS): Actress Zareen Khan says her Bollywood debut film "Veer" is very close to her heart and that people today know her because she was paired opposite superstar Salman Khan.

Ever since her debut in 2010, Zareen featured in films like "Ready" and "Housefull".

Asked if starring in big budget films initially helped her shape her career, Zareen told IANS over the phone from Mumbai: "Today if people know me it is because of 'Veer', even if the movie did not do well. It is because I was paired opposite Salman Khan that today people know me. So, 'Veer' in spite of not doing well, will be very dear to my heart because it was my first film."

The actress says that her role was not that important in the other films she got then as compared to those that are offered to her now.

"Those (films) did too, but not what all these films that I am doing right now did for me because my role was not that important. In 'Ready', I did only one song, in 'Housefull 2' there were a lot of other people and I had a very small role. So, maybe I was not really noticed or I did not get to do much in the film," she said.

The actress, 30, says it was after the erotic thriller "Hate Story 3", filmmakers saw her in a different light.

"It was after 'Hate Story 3' that people have started seeing me in a different light and offering me films that they feel I can be a solo part of. I think it is not about doing big films. It is about how important your role is in a movie and what that does for you," she added.