Edition21: Bollywood News

Marriage Is Important For Me: Katrina
Shilpa Jamkhandikar/Reuters
Katrina Kaif, one of Bollywood's most glamorous actresses, is swapping her designer outfits for cotton sarees in what many say could be her toughest role yet. Kaif portrays an up-and-coming politician in director Prakash Jha's "Rajneeti". She spoke to Reuters about the film, being compared to Sonia Gandhi and why marriage is important to her.

Q: How has "Rajneeti" been as an experience for you?
A: "Each film is its own little world and I treat all my films, equally whether it is 'Ajab…' or 'New York' or this film. This was a different space, we were shooting in Bhopal and we all really bonded and that has really come across in all our performances on screen."
Q: A lot of people didn't give you much of a chance in this industry when you first came. How did you manage to overcome that?
A: "I just went with the flow. I think a lot of people over-intellectualise their careers and plan too much. You have to realise that this is the entertainment industry and films are supposed to be fun. The films I enjoyed last year were films like 'The Hangover'. I don't really remember serious, intense films. People want to have fun at the movies and those are the kind of movies I want to make.
I don't see the point of wearing a saree and crying in a ditch because people think that that is good acting. If that is good acting, those who are inspired to do it, will. I will not do something that doesn't come from within.
Q: Have the kind of movies you wanted to do changed since the time you made your debut?
A: "Yes, sure. Everyone changes with time don't they? You don't rewind and repeat. There are a million love stories that can be told, a million comedies that can be told. One looks for better stories, better spaces and better set-ups. That doesn't mean you have to go do a small budget, sad film to say I am an actor."
Q: Your character in "Rajneeti" has drawn a lot of comparisons with Sonia Gandhi. Is there any similarity?
A: "(Laughs) I know but there are no comparisons at all. She is just a girl who grows up in life, has to face rejection and comes into her own. Also, because of the graph of the character was such that there was no need to model her on anyone. Maybe for the campaigning portions that we shot, I looked at footage of some politicians but not otherwise."
Q: In "Rajneeti", you are shorn of all the attributes that you are known for -- glamour, dancing. Did you feel uncomfortable?
A: "Not really. I think I did pretty much the same thing in 'New York' and if I was accepted there, then I don't see why I can't be accepted in this. It's just that people like to put other people in pigeon holes and judge them. But when the audience comes to see the movie, they don't come to see it with prejudice. They give you a fair chance."
Q: Does your success surprise you?
A: "Yeah, it does. Because it wasn't something I planned. But you don't walk around thinking 'Oh! I am so big'. Because things get harder after that, you have other battles to fight. There are friends, family, there is a life beyond films and you have to balance that."
Q: So marriage is important?
A: "Yes, of course it is. I think the security you get from a partner, whether married or not, is very important."