Goofball games

Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor reunite in ‘Jagga Jasoos’ to bring us the genre-bending musical that took years to make

Bollywood stars Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor talk about their genre-busting fantasyadventure film, ‘Jagga Jasoos’, out tomorrow in the UAE

Bollywood actors Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor, who were rumoured to be romantically involved, have displayed an unpredictable dynamic during the promotions of their new film, Jagga Jasoos.

Mildly put, they blow hot and cold towards each other.

Think about it: the Jagga Jasoos hero has been accused of ‘mansplaining’ — talking over Kaif during interviews and answering questions directed at her — and in turn she has hit back saying she doesn’t fancy working with him in the future.

During their press junket in Abu Dhabi earlier this month to promote their movie, which releases tomorrow in the UAE, there were no signs of animosity, but there was an underlying tension that reared its head sporadically.

Kapoor never missed a chance to take subtle digs at her, describing her as hyper with a propensity to ask “foolish questions” and Kaif responded with her famously placid — almost glacial — expression.

So what’s the beef between them? Are they friends or not?

“Am I really your friend? The person on my right should answer this. So Katrina, are we really friends?” says Kapoor, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms, during their sit-down interview with tabloid!.

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A sphinx-like Kaif looks at him. He doesn’t wait for her to answer and continues without missing a beat.

“We have this on-off fighting. The first day I met her, I remember she had a fight with me. Around the same time, she became my friend,” says Kapoor. Kaif seems to have regrouped. “Ranbir has said that well. Our professional dynamic when we are in our work space has always been like this… We always had a good, fun, energetic dynamic. On the first day of Ajab [Prem Ki] Gazab

[Kahaani], like how a five-year-old would do — he untied my shoelaces and I fell over my face and we had a fight,” says Kaif.

She softens her “like how a five-yearold” remark by blaming it on their collective “super-passionate” nature towards their craft. How bullying translates to bettering a person’s performance at work is anybody’s guess, but Kapoor jumps in with: “Having said that, Katrina has had a huge influence in my professional and personal life — it’s huge. Even if she doesn’t consider me her friend tomorrow, I will force myself on her. I don’t think I can

“I am not on social media because I am lazy… I am shy, so I don’t think I can use social media well. That is primarily the reason. And trolls are a part and parcel of being on social media. If you get the bouquets, you will also get the brickbats. That is how life is,” Kapoor said.