Katrina heads to Dublin for shoot

Currently in London, Katrina Kaif’s happy that her Ek Tha Tiger co-star is doing well after surgery, gearing up for shoot of Kabir Khan’s spy thriller.

Three years after the disastrous Yuvvraj (2008), Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan are set to shoot another film together. Sure, they gyrated

to the title track of Bodyguard, but as Katrina points out “that was only a 20-second appearance and Bodyguard was actually Salman and Kareena’s (Kapoor) film”. But Ek Tha Tiger is a lead role for which director Kabir Khan always wanted her.

“He narrated this great story to me three years ago, when we were filming New York (2009). His films are an interesting mix of fantasy and reality and I immediately agreed,” she says, adding, “Salman agreed on his own without us talking about it.” The spy thriller flags off in Dublin. Salman’s currently in London post his surgery in New Jersey. Katrina, after the premiere of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan in Abu Dhabi on September 7, air-dashed to London for another premiere the following day. From Tuesday, they start shooting for Ek Tha Tiger: “I’ve been told Salman’s doing well and we’re on schedule. We go to Cuba next, that should be amazing too.”

From December 15, Katrina will start work on her fourth Yashraj production. This one is opposite Shah Rukh Khan and will mark Yash Chopra’s comeback to direction seven years after Veer Zaara (2004). “I’ve always aspired to be a Yash Chopra heroine, who’s the epitome of elegance and grace. I loved Silsila (1981) and Veer Zaara. It’s such a thrill to be doing a romantic love story with Yashji and Shah Rukh, with whom I’ve never worked before,” she says. “I really liked him in Swades (2004) and Chak De! India (2007).” It’s been 11 years since we first saw her on screen in Boom (2003), followed by a cameo in Sarkar (2005) and a heroine’s role opposite Salman in Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya (2005). Then she was dismissed as a  firang with an anglicised accent, unsuitable for desi girl roles. Today, she is Bollywood’s numero uno star. She smiles, “Our audience is kind and accepting. They liked what I could do and forgave me for what I couldn’t.”