SALMAN HAS AN AMAZING ENERGY, FLAMBOYANCE: KATRINA KAIF

Back to working with her rumoured ex, the actor speaks of the pleasures and pains of her career

It has been an amazing ride… very hard to define in words. ‘The show must go on’ is one line that I think rings extremely true. Our job is to enjoy the process and to deliver the best we can

Over a period of 12 years, Katrina Kaif (above) has been one of the most successful female leads in Bollywood, so three recent flops in a row have left her still in a bit of a shock. However, she has something fun to look forward to — joining Instagram.

She says, “Honestly, I was a little averse to social media in the beginning or just shied away from it. [But] sometimes, you just have to have fun with it, and it’s important in today’s world to have your voice and individual space.”

The other big news about Kat right now is that she’s back to working with rumoured ex-boyfriend Salman Khan, in the film Tiger Zinda Hai. How has that experience been? “After shooting with him for a long time, you miss his flamboyance and his fun side,” says Katrina. “He has a sense of humour and a way of life, and that’s probably why there’s this energy that buzzes around him. He has got an amazing aura and warmth around him. Also, it’s a wonderful film set to be on, because Ali Abbas (Zafar, the director) is one of my dearest friends and a very integral part of my support system.”

Along with this happy experience, there’s also some frustration over the delay of her film Jagga Jasoos. Katrina explains, “The kind of film Dada (Anurag Basu, director) has made and the uniqueness of this film needed this process.”

With 12 years in Bollywood now behind her, Katrina says about this time, “It has been an amazing ride… very hard to define in words. ‘The show must go on’ is one line that I think rings extremely true. Our job is to enjoy the process and to deliver the best we can.” Three flops in a row, she says, was “a huge shock” because “I was not used to it”. She adds, “Especially with Baar Baar Dekho, it was really unexpected.”

There were some tears, says the star, but like a good soldier, Katrina is keeping her chin up and carrying on with the march. ■ prashant.singh@htlive.com

KATRINA KAIF, ACTOR