Katrina Kaif is in a happy space right now. She is being appreciated for her acting skills like never before, especially in her last few films like Zero, Tiger Zinda Hai, Ek Tha Tiger and Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Not that she did badly in films like Namastey London and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan either - in fact, she was pretty good in those movies. But after a few hit songs and item numbers of hers, audience is now opening up to Katrina Kaif, the actress again. She is lapping up the praise and is eager to showcase her acting in her new film Bharat, where she is co-starring with superstar Salman Khan.
Katrina Kaif has always been a good actor but her dancing skills and cute screen presence have overshadowed her effort in the histrionics department. Katrina Kaif also is aware that she has to evolve as an actor to gain more success and recognition, but is as proud of her song and dance routines as her powerful acting roles.
"I'm not a newcomer anymore," she says, as we get talking about what her second innings in Bollywood mean to her. "You have to remain connected with your audience," she adds, sharing insight about her acting and how different films need a different approach. Excerpts from her chat with International Business Times, India.
Katrina Kaif is positive about being recognised as an actor now. "For me, it's a wonderful thing. Now, I'm not a newcomer anymore, right? (So) how do you sustain yourself in any profession? Look at Madonna (the singer)...look at anyone who is successful in their profession for a sustained period of time. One or two years you can come with some hype, some spirit or some energy, but to sustain for a longer period of time, you have to evolve."
"There has to be some sort of an evolution, some sort of a growth, some sort of a change, so that the audience feels that they are seeing something new," observes Katrina. "You have to just remain connected with your audience. How you do that may be different for you, for me, for Salman (Khan), Aamir (Khan), Kareena (Kapoor Khan), whoever - because everyone is different."
"As far as acting is concerned, what I keep telling my sister (Isabelle Kaif) is that there is no one rule book. You go to Lee Strasberg, which is the best acting institute, for 10 years, and maybe you'll never make it as an actor! (Or) you could have no training and you have become the biggest actor in your industry," explains Katrina Kaif.
"So the fact that people see a growth or a change now (in me), and the media talk about the films and review them, the audience sees the film and talks about it, that's a wonderful thing for me. It gives me longevity as an actor, it gives me opportunity, and the confidence with the directors and the filmmakers who in turn get the confidence that this actor is now interested in pulling off roles like this . So they are interested in creating a character," says Katrina.
"Some of the films that we do are also just large entertainment. They're fun, they're masti, and you don't really need to go into the depth of the character," Katrina further adds. "So, let's say in a Dhoom:3. You might not - I did not go into 'Who is this girl' for the character. If you give me Dhoom:3 today, I would. But for how I was then, different things for me then, there I did not go too much into that. It was about the songs, the glamour, we were trying to do things never seen before in the presentation of songs like Kamli and Malang. So that's a different space, it's a different film."
Katrina Kaif goes on to reveal that even when she concentrated more on the song-and-dance routine, it was an act and performing art for her. She does not see it different from acting.
"Now I think people are responding more to the fact that you as an actor... Now see, I've also ticked those boxes for me. Dance and songs were a big part of what I wanted to do. For me, songs in a film come in the category of performing arts and not item numbers or something else you use to refer to them. When I was younger, I was only allowed to watch films which were musicals - Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singing in the Rain. That was the information going into my mind as a kid. That was my vision of showbizness, with the girls they come and perform, and they were so bright!"
Here is an actor who admits to have evolved in her profession and yet is not belittling anything she has done before, and that's what we like about Katrina Kaif! Her hard work is for all to see and her massive fan-following cannot wait to catch her in Bharat, releasing on June 5, 2019 on Eid.
