Finding place in the limelight

Katrina Kaif’s poise is sure to take a total stranger (like me) off guard. The newest face on the silver screen, sizzled on stage for the first time at a function in the Capital over the weekend. “Dancing to bollywood numbers was fun,” says the actor. “I really like Indian music and I also love dancing.” Ask her to name a favourite dancer in Bollywood, “Madhuri Dixit,” she chirps and her favourite song, “Kabhi Kabhi mere dil mein, the song with Rekha.”
After the forgettable role in Boom, Katrina will be seen next in Bollywood opposite real-life love interest Salman Khan and his brother Sohail Khan in David Dhawan’s comedy, Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya that releases nationwide in June.
“The first experience was with David Dhawan and it was so much fun,” says the model-turned-actor. She maybe just one film old in the industry but rumours about her relationship with Salman do not ruffle her calm. “When you are working in the same film, there are always speculations. I never take them seriously,” she says.
Coming to Mother’s Day celebration, what plans does she have for her mother? “Thanks for reminding me,” she says. “Like almost all others I take my mother for granted and I am already into trouble for forgetting her birthday which was a few days back. I think I will call up my sister in the US and ask her to get something nice for mother.”
Returning to bollywood, she emphasises that she has absolutely no plans for being an item girl. “No way, I am actor not an item number.”
Modelling too is now a thing of the past. “I want to focus completely on my films and get the best out of myself in them.” Films in the pipeline are, “First is Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya with Salman, then I am in Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkar starring Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan and later in the year I will be seen opposite Akshay Kumar in a film where I play a very traditional role.”
With the big names under her belt, she is looking forward to better work in Bollywood. “I would love to do a film under the Yash Chopra banner.”
As a model-turned-actor, health definitely takes a front seat. “My daily routine during summers includes drinking at least 16 glasses of water alone, besides taking other fluids,” she says. “I avoid make-up and do not use anything on my hair unless I am shooting.”

Published in Hindustan Times Next on May 9, 2005