Katrina Kaif compares Bollywood to dysfunctional family, says it’s normal to not like some family members

‘She’s moody’, ‘stick to movie-related questions’, ‘don’t ask anything about her personal life’ — a host of advice is given to me by people when I tell them I am going to interview one of the most gorgeous women in the country.

As I enter the venue for the same, I spot her sitting in a corner with her team, looking intently into her smartphone, munching on sushi. She has just wrapped up a prior commitment. Some time passes by before we finally begin. Katrina Kaif smiles as we settle down, dissipating all the advice I was asked to pay heed to.

I start off by asking what has changed for her as an actor in the 15 years since she made her Bollywood debut, and she says, “I think that nervous feeling is not there anymore (before a film’s release). I’m calmer and centered, but as someone said to me, I’m very curious to know the audiences’ response. It’s an unusual feeling. I’m genuinely not uncomfortable, jittery or anything. I wait for the first show when everyone sees the film, I want to [then] talk to someone who has seen it.”

Her latest release, Zero with Shah Rukh Khan, might have not worked wonders at the box-office, but her portrayal of a heart-broken superstar in the film has won her rave reviews, and is being touted to be her best performance till date. On that, she says, “I’m really happy with the reviews and the fact that audiences responded so positively. It’s very encouraging and I’m grateful that Aanand (L Rai, director) sir put this faith in me.”

Katrina’s equation with many female (and even male) actors has always been a topic of discussion. On top of that, equations in a cut-throat industry like Bollywood are always changing. Asked whether she has been able make any lasting friends, she quips, “I think so. The other day, I was feeling that when we go into the details of the equation we share with our colleagues in the industry, [with some] it is wonderful, or fun or that of angst or not-so-good.”

She takes a slight pause, before resuming, “We are all part of this industry, and we have all been here together for a good few years. It’s almost like a dysfunctional family. You may not like some of your family members in some cases, but they are still your family members. For me, at least, it has become like that. We may not have had the best relationship, but we still had a relationship for so many years.”

Her personal life and her relationships (she broke up with Ranbir Kapoor in 2016) have always garnered eyeballs. On whether she gets bothered about the fact that her personal life is discussed more than it should be and the focus should instead be on her work, Katrina says, “It has never crossed my mind. I still am extremely fortunate to be working with the best directors and the best co-stars, the best talent of the industry, and that’s the most important thing for me.”

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