Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; May 28, 2019)

While Katrina Kaif has always been known for her beauty and dancing skills, her last few outings had even her worst critics praising her acting chops. And now, she is all set for another content-driven character in the upcoming Salman Khan-starrer, Bharat. Ahead of the film’s release, the actress talks about preparing for the role, why she does not dwell in the past and how she has become wiser when it comes to love. Excerpts…

You stepped in for Priyanka Chopra Jonas at the last minute after she exited Bharat for personal reasons. Since you were busy shooting for Zero around the same time, did you get enough time to get into the skin of your character?
I had two months to prepare for the part. Ali (Abbas Zafar, director) told me that Priyanka would not be doing the film anymore. He is a close friend, but when it comes to work, he is very straightforward. Our personal equation never seeps into the work space. He sent me the script; I read it and told him, ‘Ali, I am going to give you a brutal reaction to the script — I love it’. I love the character of Kumud — it’s so strong and unusual. I was happy that he wrote the film with someone else in mind, as certain nuances of the person seep into the writing unknowingly. And, since Kumud was written for someone else, it ended up being unlike anything I have done before. Personally, it was a challenge to immerse myself into it and give it my all. The journey of Kumud’s character spans from 1975 to 2010. Ali wanted specific and authentic looks, and had already done his homework. Visually, I knew who he was referring to and I just had to make her come alive. The first thing I had to do was to have a stronger command over the language.

Talking about your last outing, Zero may have failed to set the cash registers ringing, but you were appreciated for your performance. How does it feel to be noticed for your acting chops than just being praised for your beauty and dancing prowess?
It’s the best thing to have happened and I am happy about it. But I am also putting in that much effort. Unlike earlier, when I was trying to balance home, life and work, my focus is just on work now. And I think that it reflects on screen. There is an emotional connect because the viewer feels what the actor on screen is conveying.

Before the success of Tiger Zinda Hai, a few of your films had not done well at the box office. In an industry where destinies change every Friday, how difficult did you find that phase?
Someone told me a few days ago that you should learn from your past. I said, ‘Yes, but the past is past. We don’t necessarily need it to dictate how our future will be’. The road I want to carve ahead doesn’t need the baggage from the past because after a while, it feels heavy. Sometimes, it’s okay to let it all go, just focus on today and what I am doing right now. It is also okay to keep looking ahead, rather than dissecting the past so much. I feel happy with success and low with failure. But I also feel it’s important to adopt a balanced approach to both. A film works or fails on the basis of the script, so, I don’t personalise and make it all about me. Filmmaking is an unpredictable business. Nobody in the world can give you 100 per cent guarantee that yeh script hit hai ya flop hai. It’s a risk. You have to have nerves of steel to be in the film industry.

But, isn’t it disheartening that actresses can be written off more easily, as compared to their male counterparts?
I don’t believe that. Just because a few people say so, that doesn’t make it true. It will become true for me the day I believe it. It’s up to me to decide my path and not let others dictate it.

Bollywood heroes can switch from one genre to another, but that’s not often the case with actresses, who are either slotted as commercial and glamorous heroines or those who can pull off intense roles. We hardly see these lines blurring for an actress in Hindi cinema...
It’s easier to slot and typecast. I feel these labels are allotted more to women, however, not everyone is walking that path. I personally feel that it’s important to do both. Kareena (Kapoor Khan) does it quite well. She does a Singham 2 and Good News or Veere Di Wedding. I think she is striking that balance nicely. You don’t have to dedicate yourself to only certain kind of characters and negate all others. It’s a personal choice.

When do we see you take up a heroine-centric film?
For me, that’s less important than the character. Today, I see Babita Kumari (Her character in Zero) as a character; whether she is the protagonist or not isn’t important. I see Kumud as a heroic character. Tomorrow, if a role like what Deepika (Padukone) is doing in Chhapaak is offered to me, I would jump at it. But you have to choose from what is offered to you. Out of what is offered to me, I am choosing the strongest characters as well as what seems right for me. But it’s not that ‘Oh! I am in a female-centric film, so that automatically makes it a good character’. What’s the emotional graph of the character? Is it well-written? Does it have a proper arc? All these questions have to be answered. I can sign five female-centric films tonight, but the stories may not be correct. I look for those flaws in the script. You have to have a strong script to take it up.

Is there any genre you would like to explore?
I would like to do a biopic or a sports film. I also want to do something more in the action space, or a film like Gone Girl, which is in the psychological thriller space.

Indian cinema has become more content-driven. Earlier, working with the Khan troika was seen as an achievement, but today, there is no guarantee that a film featuring a Khan will be a hit at the box office...
I feel that all these labels and tags of working with X, Y, or Z are generated by the media. We are not jars on a kitchen shelf, but living and breathing beings. If you ask me whether I have a strategy (which I often read about myself), then no. That’s not how it works. Different people are on different paths, which we have not constructed on our own. Some things just come your way and happen, like this film. Sometimes, things are just in your destiny. My focus right now is not on who is in the film or what’s in the film, but trying to be a part of good work and being a representative of who I am today. If I feel bored or am in a space, which is boring me, then I feel scared because I know that the audience will be bored, too. I feel that Bharat has excited me and inspired me, and hence, I feel excited for the audience. That’s the only barometer to understand whether I am going right or wrong.

At one point, you wanted to get married at the peak of your career. What are your thoughts on love, relationships and marriage today?
At heart, I continue to believe what I have always felt about love and relationship. I think being in love with another person is beautiful. As a person, I have a lot to give in a relationship, but it’s important to not lose your identity. I can’t hand over the whole burden of my happiness and sadness to another person. No matter how much you may want to throw yourself at the feet of another person, retain the control of your self-worth. Don’t blame the other person if that goes away.

You said that you give your all to everything — be it work, or relationships. However, have you come to terms with the fact that things will not always go in your favour?
I have come to terms with both the things. I know that everyone is not going to reciprocate in the same manner, and also, that it does come with a heavy price. I also know that you shouldn’t be afraid of what you feel. I don’t think I will ever be able to change — change feeling the life, the lows (pain, disappointment, the heartbreak, the rejection and the betrayal) as well as the highs. But the only thing you can do is not be afraid of it.

Have you become wiser in love?
I think this is the phase where I am growing up a little bit and becoming more balanced about it. But the real test will be the next time I am in a relationship and how much I can hold on to that balance.