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We recently caught up with actress Katrina Kaif where she spoke about her soon-to-be-released film – Zero, Shah Rukh Khan, her character Babita Kumari, Isabelle Kaif and lots more.
Here’s all that Katrina Kaif had to say:
When asked what changes she has seen in Shah Rukh Khan since working with him in Jab Tak Hai Jaan and now the Katrina Kaif said,
“I think I’m not the right person to answer that question because Shah Rukh’s experience in the film industry is so extensive that I don’t think I’m the right person to answer that question. I think maybe Aanand sir would be a better person to answer that question.
But as a person, I think he still shares the same passion for his work which is amazing, because he has an extensive career.”
Talking about King Khan and Zero she said:
“Whenever he talks about Zero he always says that he wants to try and produce something that India has never been seen before, he wanted that quality of work, that scope of work, he wanted everything to look and be on par with like when we watch the international films.”
Talking about being the only prominent person in my film who doesn’t seem to have any shortcomings – physically, Katrina Kaif said,
“I think what Aanand sir wanted to say in the film was that things are not often as they seem on the outside. Probably from an outsiders perspective one would see Afiya (Anushka’s character) has an obstacle to overdone with her disability. That in some way is a burden for her, a difficulty for her. Bauua is a vertically challenged character who obviously many people will not treat with the respect he would like to have.
And then you have the dimensionally opposite – a loved movie star, who is loved by millions but yet can’t find a completion that she in herself is enough for someone to love her. That I think is a common human tread in general. Deep down inside you think many people feel that they are incomplete. Something feels like it is missing. There’s always that thought in the mind that if u get something I will be complete – happy.
Like Bauua doesn’t let his height become an obstacle to him – he thinks in his head that he’s like bring all the Khan but I’ll still be waiting for you – he thinks he’s as good as any big movie star. He thinks Bauua is God’s gift to the world. It’s about how we let our own weaknesses control our own life.”
Talking about the similarities between Katrina Kaif and Babita, the Dhoom 3 actress said,
“Not at all.”
She continued,
“I’ve been thinking about the differences – the main differences that are there in the character. You see, at the core of emotions, I think we humans go through the same emotions. So whether I play a mass murderer, a doctor, an actress – the emotions are quite similar, the beats are the same – you feel vulnerable, you feel threatened, you feel insecure, you feel lonely, you feel happy, you feel exuberant.
Babita being an actress – I’m an actress so there’s that similarity. So in a few shots, that‘s nice to have that familiarity but the character that he crafted – Babita Kumari – was very different from me. That was also something I wanted to go on that journey with Aanand sir and discover that character. On the surface I actually also thought like you (guys) – I was like I’m playing an actress what is there, I don’t want to play. I actually didn’t pretty want to do the character and Aanand sir said you’re not seeing what I’m seeing. Just understand what I want to do and I was like theek hai- she’s feeling pain, but there’s no great thing in that.
But it was about the person he wanted to create. And that person he wanted to create that was a very intense journey for me. That was an intense journey we went on together. I think I expected it in some way and I also didn’t really want it as I was in a time of in life where I was really very happy. I was just coming out of a place of learning to be a little bit peaceful, a Shanti time in my life. And I was like ‘Aanand sir this is very tumultuous, she’s deeply in pain and deeply upset, deeply insecure but is not showing that as well. And that’s what I liked. If the movie works and the character works – to me that would be the biggest strength. People will hopefully relate to her vulnerability and they’ll also relate to how she tries to cover them up.”
Further talking about her character
“I had a few reference points. But to me, the method and approach that I started to try and which I find a lot of times successful in my films – as you know Zindagi, Raajneeti – is that I’ve truly gone on instinct and with what the director’s vision was. Instincts have worked for me.”
Continuing,
“What I find that works more is understanding the mind of the character. Understanding what her fears are, where she comes from, what she wants. Understand who, where and what kind of mindset this person has. We all have a particular mindset. Once you develop what are her personalities and what are her characters, where she’s coming from in her mind then whatever scene you are given to do becomes truer, it becomes real. It’s no longer an act.”
Talking about the advice she wants to give her sister Isabelle Kaif – who is venturing into Bollywood, Katrina Kaif said,
“It’s tough. I keep telling her that the world is changed since the time I came into films – they have really changed. That was a different time, this is a different era. I do have the advice to give her, of course, I do. But I tell her, even I cannot tell you exactly in this world (Bollywood) how one can come in. What I feel and what advice I would give her is ‘don’t get caught up in all this. People are going to advise you.’”
Continuing she said,
“I still think that what really matters – 95% of what matters is what happens, what you do between action and cut – that’s it. What happens from when the director’s name and movie name shows to when the end credits roll that’s what makes you who you are. Everything else is the garnishing on the cake. First, make the cake and then if you want to put the chocolate garnishing, vanilla – you don’t want to put the garnishing, you’re on a diet, there’s no garnishing there’s just the cake – that’s fine, that’s up to you. That’s you as a person.”
Katrina Kaif also said that it doesn’t matter how you dress to an event,
“Don’t put your mind on that. That doesn’t matter. The work that all these actors who you look up to or the work that we do are what matters.”
Zero starring Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, and Katrina Kaif is directed by Aanand L Rai. This Red Chillies and Colour Yellow Productions release on December 21.
