Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; January 30, 2019)

Katrina Kaif is known for her drop-dead gorgeous looks and dancing prowess. But when it comes to her acting chops, the common notion is that it leaves a lot to be desired. However, the leggy actress has been working hard towards changing that perception with films such as Tiger Zinda Hai and Zero. Though the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer failed to strike a chord with the audience, Katrina managed to impress cinegoers with her portrayal of Babita Kumari, an alcoholic star.

In a freewheeling chat, she reveals her future plans.

Zero didn’t set the cash registers ringing, but people liked your performance in it…
What made me happy was that I pulled off the character exactly the way filmmaker Aanand L Rai and writer Himanshu Sharma had envisioned it. I lived with the role for almost two-and-a-half years, since the time they conceptualised the film and approached me for it. In this entire journey, there were several times when I was uncertain if I could pull it off. But Aanand sir was clear that he wanted me to do this role. When a director has so much confidence in you, it makes a huge difference. It definitely contributes to what you feel when you stand on set, in control of that character. It was so well written that I kept asking them to elaborate more on it because it gave me the scope for a different kind of performance. Such characters come only once in a while, so you need to grab the opportunity. You feel like you’ve hit the board when you get a positive response for your character in a film. It’s immensely satisfying.

Earlier, you were not considered as one of the best actors. Do you think you have been able to change that perception now?
As an actor, you always see several highs and lows. There are times when your work will be appreciated and there are also moments where you will receive a lot of criticism. For me, it’s good that it has made its mark on people’s minds. As an actor, in order to have longevity in your career, you have to be in that zone where you start changing as a person. I joined Bollywood when I was 18 and I’m not the same girl anymore because my life experiences have changed me. With knowledge, dedication and experience, you find those films that take you to the next level. That’s exactly what Aanand sir and Himanshu did with this movie. They gave me an opportunity to do that. For me, that’s important because Zero helped me take a step forward as a performer.

Do you think people have now started respecting you as an actress?
I feel that as a performer, everyone has their own personal growth and career graph. Right now, I’m upbeat about the films that I’m doing, whether it was Zero or the forthcoming Bharat. I’m also interested in a lot of exciting content. In between, I’m reading so many things — some of which I might not do, some of it is inspirational and I might do. There’s so much content out there and that makes me happy. You don’t need to wait for anything to happen. You can start creating things and putting different ideas to development. I’m also working with a few writers on certain concepts which I feel strongly about. I had started this conversation about a French film He Loves Me… He Loves Me Not (2002) long ago. Dibakar (Banerjee) and I were planning to do that at that point. Sometimes, I get these flights in my head and that’s what excites me now — to put certain ideas into development ourselves. There are also directors who approach you with films. So, this is the time to pick projects that I can relate to.

So, is the remake of He Loves Me… He Loves Me Not happening?
No, we have moved on from that discussion long ago. There are new ideas that we are trying to develop. A lot of things are happening, but I am not in a position to discuss them right now.

There are times when you might not be appreciated, but your film does terrific numbers at the BO. And there are times when your film doesn’t work, but you are praised. Which one would you look out for?
I guess, you have to strike a balance between choosing films that are big projects and roles that challenge you to perform. Then, there are roles which you are personally excited to essay. The most ideal situation is when all of it comes together — when the film’s scale and vision is huge and it’s supported by an amazing character that you portray.

Do you feel more confident now to shoulder a film all alone?
I’ve never shied away from that. I’ve always heard out the women-centric stories that came to me. But I’ve never found the perfect match between a story and a character. I either liked a character but didn’t like the story, or the story was nice but the protagonist’s role wasn’t strong enough. So, I’m putting together a project where I’ll have 100 per cent confidence in it. I just know that when I do that, I want to believe in all the aspects of a film — the story, the experience and the character. I want all these things to come together.

How difficult has the shooting for Bharat been as it chronicles the protagonist’s journey along with that of India’s history?
It has been extremely inspiring, exciting, challenging and interesting. From the moment I started prep for this film till date, it’s been such a journey of discovery and learning. There have been so many moments while filming that I will always cherish. Now, we are in the last few weeks of shoot, so I’m trying to maintain my focus. As the schedule is in Mumbai, there are a lot more distractions in terms of things and people grabbing your attention.

Your name was doing the rounds for the film since it was announced. But it finally landed in your lap after Priyanka Chopra’s exit...
Director Ali Abbas Zafar and I are close friends, but we have never taken our personal relationship for granted. When it comes to work, we have a strong line of demarcation. He actually sent me the script — I read it and instantly saw that it gave me an opportunity to do something different. I loved the story and that’s why I said yes to it.

You were supposed to do Remo D’souza’s dance film with Varun Dhawan, but opted out of it...
It wasn’t possible for me to do that movie, given the timeline for Bharat. We are pushing for an Eid release, so we had to finish shooting this one. That’s very critical for the film. The dates became a problem and I had to opt out of that one.

There were also rumours about you doing a South film opposite Mahesh Babu...
I haven’t signed anything after Bharat. As for your question, no, I haven’t even been approached for the film. (Smiles)