"A technically good-looking person will have no attraction for me if I find him or her boring and dull" - Katrina Kaif

Courtesy: IndiaFM

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Model Katrina Kaif has finally moved beyond being known as Salman Khan's lady. Having bagged a number of films (with directors like Anees Bazmee, David Dhawan, Abbas-Mustan, Vipul Shah and Samir Karnik), Katrina talks about her third big release (after Sarkar and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya), Humko Deewana Kar Gaye and her forthcoming projects.

Tell us something about your big release, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye...
It's about a girl who goes trousseau shopping, and unexpectedly meets a guy with whom she has an unexpected connection. Love is genuinely like that. It's not something that you anticipate or expect. The twist in the film lies in the fact that they are both engaged to other people. Her fiancÉ is obviously not happy about it. She also feels that she has a responsibility towards her fiancÉ. She finds freedom with Akshay, which she has never found before.

The movie then progresses on to deal with different types of love... you have love out of duty, you have love out of respect, love out of passion, and the choice one finally makes between duty, respect and your heart. And there in lies the beauty of the film. It's a romantic film, with slight elements of comedy. It's neither a slapstick like Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya or too serious like Sarkar.

The actor who plays your fiancÉ is a big secret!
I guess the producers want it to be a surprise. But I can tell you that the person is a fabulous actor. He has done a great job. It has been great working with him.

Does he have a moustache?
Yes he does!

Your film career started when Kaizad Gustad spotted you. Do you have any regrets doing Boom?
Not at all! That film brought me to India. Without it, I would have not taken that leap.

Humko Deewana Kar Gaye is your biggest role till date. What do you have to say?
Yes it is! Bipasha Basu just has a special appearance. This is the film in which I have put the most of me. I have worked very hard on it. I could relate to the emotions in a lot of the scenes.

You come from a mixed a race. Your father is an NRI and your mother is British. Do you see that as an advantage or disadvantage in Bollywood?
I think I have been very lucky so far. I have done a lot of ads and also some films down south. People have liked me. I guess I have found a balance.

Have you been working on your Hindi diction?
My Hindi was bad about three years ago. I wanted to achieve a certain status in modeling. Through that I got confidence to get into movies. Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya came at the right time. I had done kathak training which apart from teaching you about dancing also teaches you about emotions. After that experience, I feel this year will be a much better year for me.

You avoid talking about Salman Khan. Why is that?
We respect each other's privacy. I'm answerable to the media for my professional life, not my personal life.

The media has been talking a lot about your personal life. Does that upset you?
Not really. I feel people should report responsibly. I feel that my family and personal life is personal to me. The media should respect that. I have to add that the majority of the media does respect that. But there were some incidents where people attributed statements to me which I had never made. That I will never accept. After the glamour is over, you want to just go home and settle down.

There were rumors that you were going to walk out of Salman Khan's home production Partner. Is it true?
That's not true. Sohail Khan and K Sera Sera are producing the film. Whatever films Sohail Khan will ask me to do, I will definitely do. I did my first big film with him, so there is that connection. I also love working with David Dhawan. He is so much fun to work with.

In Partner, you are paired opposite Govinda instead of Salman?
In the film, Govinda sees a girl who is very rich. She is completely out of his reach. So he tells Salman that he wants her. The whole film is about how Salman teaches him.

Then you have Apne with Sunny, Bobby and Papa Deol...
I have seen some of its rushes and it's looking great.

You have Anees Basmee's Welcome with Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Akshay Kumar.
Yes.

Anil Kapoor has a moustache!
Yes he does! They are all great actors. You have to see them together. It is something else! Anees Basmee is such a great writer. His films are cut-to-cut and so crisp. I am confident about Welcome. Another great film is Vipul Shah's film for which we are shooting in London.

What about RGV's Sholay?
That is supposed to start in September. Before that I am working on Abbas-Mustan's film with Saif Ali Khan. That's a thriller.

How was it working with Akshay in Humko Deewana Kar Gaye?
It was great. He is so supportive. The most important thing for a newcomer is that they have to be comfortable. I feel everyone supported me on the set. We also had a lot of fun shooting in Canada. The fun showed in the song Fanaa.

Did you enjoy working with Bipasha?
I did only one scene with her. She has beautiful eyes. Every time she would talk to me, I'd keep looking at her eyes. She'd ask me why I was staring at her! She has eyes like those bunny rabbit cartoons! Long lashes and everything! It was quite funny. We have known each other from shows as well.

Which is your favorite song from the film?
That is Fanaa.

You are considered to be one of the most beautiful faces in the Indian film industry. What does beautiful mean to you?
Beauty for me does not mean faces, because that's subjective. I find a face beautiful, good looking, attractive, and all the terms you want to use, once I know them. The vibes from a person physically changes the appearance of the person for me. This may sound clichÉd but it works for me. A technically good-looking person will have no attraction for me if I find him or her boring and dull. Beauty or attraction is more about the whole person, if you know what I mean!

Still, there must be a few names that come to your mind with beauty?
Hmmm... Salma Hayek, I think, is very pretty, very natural. And although I haven't met Madhuri Dixit in person, I find her very beautiful on screen. I also find Manisha Koirala beautiful.

How would you describe yourself?
Moody... and a Cancerian to the boot! Even a small thing can change the entire mood, but I'm working on that. Besides, I'm also loyal and possessive.

Before coming to India from London and joining the film industry, what did Indian films mean to you?
Actually it wasn't much. I wasn't into it, and honestly, didn't feel the need to watch them. And so there was so much to learn when I came here - the expressions, the emotions. Since I didn't come with any preconceived notions about the craft, I can give a new approach to whatever I do here. Come to think of it, I was painfully shy as a child, totally into books and always scoring A + in every subject. My mother always thought that I would end up being a doctor or engineer, and was surprised to see me in the glamour business.

You debuted with a film in India, took to modeling and now are back in films. Are you still unsure about where you want to be?
No... that's just me. I am a free spirit. I didn't come here with films on my mind, but I did one, and decided to cool off from that experience. I then did modeling for two years with prestigious campaigns, and returned to films when I was ready for them again. I got to do what I wanted to do when I was in modeling and am doing what I want to do in films. It's as simple as that.

What are your fans like abroad?
Fans are all the same. Internationally, they are more excited because the Hindi film industry is so far away from them. They are all very sweet and always respond positively. I hope they all watch Humko Deewana Kar Gaye and like it. (Smiles).