Almost a year after scoring a huge hit with the movie Dhoom 3, Katrina Kaif is now back with Bang Bang. BollywoodHungama.com’s Joginder Tuteja and Faridoon Shahryar got to chat to the actress about her latest film and asked her thoughts on the relationship between the stars and the media…
The biggest drawcard of Bang Bang has turned out to be its action, would you agree? Yes, I believe this is probably the best visual action film to date. I may sound biased, but then I can’t think of any other film in recent times.
Also, my personal style of action is such that it should be woven into the film. That way, Bang Bang is the first of its kind. It works both as a love story as well as an action film and which of the two factors you prefer depends upon you as a person. It is not a film where the action comes as a set piece; it is inherently a part of the film.
For someone beautiful as you, it took time to digest that you played someone unexciting who couldn’t even find a nice boyfriend. (Smiles) That was the beauty of it all. I think Sid (director Siddharth Anand) got that all sorted out really well. In fact, even when my friends saw the film, they told me that I didn’t come across in the same manner as in my other films.
See, for the story to work, it was really important to showcase that this girl has not been dancing or partying; we had to make the audience believe that. We had to show that perhaps the maximum distance that she has covered is going for a date, and that, too, with not much style. Otherwise how could she be so dumbstruck on seeing Hrithik for the first time?
Why not? The idea was for her to get the shock of her life, first on seeing him and then knowing his reality. Otherwise if both were equally cool then Bang Bang could well have turned out to be just another film about two spies on the run.
Much debate is going on about the love-hate relationship between the media and celebrities. What are your thoughts on this?
It is very important for an actor to keep a good sense of humour, as long as the line is not crossed where you actually feel the need to defend yourself. For me that’s very rarely. It has happened once or twice (once in Delhi) when someone has asked a question in such a nasty way that it provoked me to walk off the stage.
There is no need to provoke people. You are doing your job, I am doing my job. I think I’ve always been very respectful of what the media add to me. I think the media have been respectful of that. We have had a good equation. Every successful relationship is about respecting each other and respecting what the other person does. My view point is that if you don’t like me for some reason, or if you do not have a good opinion about me then just stay away from me.
I don’t come from the school of thought that being nasty or being unkind is necessary just to create journalism or a newsworthy story. I think there are other ways to do it.
What are your thoughts on the boundaries between an actor’s personal and public life?
There will always be speculation about an actor’s personal life off- screen. If you take it personally, then that’s foolish. If you’re trying to maintain a certain boundary, I think that’s perfectly fine. For the most part, the media do respect that.
There aren’t too many people who pry and start digging. It is important that your work is in focus. If it is not, then you’re more of a spectacle than an actor. That balance should be there for your own dignity, for what you are trying to create. – bollywoodhungama.com