Katrina Unplugged: On Akki, Sallu, Bebo and more...

She is 23. So am I. (well, in a few months) She has just been declared the sexiest woman by FHM, and I have been called (ahem) sexy by (girl)friends. Katrina Kaif and I have so much in common! So when she suggested breakfast, I was game. I pretended it was a date. Outwardly, I pretended to be serious (and cool) as I quizzed Katrina about not performing with Akshay Kumar, Salman’s show, her archrival Kareena Kapoor and more. Read on to discover her answers.

You’ve just returned from IIFA where you performed and promoted Singh is Kinng.
Yeah, Akshay did a very good act on Singh is Kinng. I think people there really liked it. I however had a separate act on Race because I think it’s better to perform to music which people have already heard. Race had hit music, so the whole thing was great fun for me.

Is has been reported that that you had a showdown with Akshay at IIFA, and that’s why you didn’t do the act with him and performed to Race. Comment.
Akshay was shooting in South Africa for Fear Factor and he arrived in Bangkok on the morning of the show. You can’t physically put together an act just hours before the event. So he went ahead and did his act and I did my Race act. If you want to do something together, you need to make time and do rehearsals. I don’t even know how Akshay pulled off his own act. I think it was pretty clever. After he performed, he went back to South Africa. But his wife Twinkle didn’t go back so we all ended up having dinner together. My mom, Twinkle, Manish, a few friends and I had dinner after the show.

You aren’t keeping well and yet you managed to perform.
I was unwell till I got onstage. I was like, ‘I can’t do it’ but I think it was okay in the end. I’ve been having fever and migraines. I was burning up when I was on stage. My face was all flushed. When you make a commitment, it’s nice to stick to it. So I did.

How does it feel to be tagged the sexiest woman?
Growing up in London, I’m aware FHM does this poll every year. They’re always big magnitude-wise. It was nice because I have seen that when I was there. If it were a magazine I wasn’t familiar with, I wouldn’t be so ecstatic.

What does the term sexy mean to you?
(Laughs) I think it’s about the whole package. It is has more to do with the fans relating to the person. Someone who is not too intimidating or maybe someone who you are not embarrassed to walk around with. I feel that men also don’t really want to see perfection, sometimes perfection can be too daunting. The fact that I am not perfect can be enduring to people, or may be not!

What’s happening on the movie front?
Singh Is Kinng is my next release. After that, I really don’t know what follows. Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraaj is nearing completion right now but sometimes the film takes longer in post-production. In July, I start Rajkumar Santoshi’s film with Ranbir Kapoor; that’s a lovely script. By the end of the year, I will be off to New York for the Yash Raj film with John Abraham. That’ll be interesting…

Why interesting?
Because it is far away, I’ve never really shot for a film in New York. I’ve been there once or twice but never for such a long period of time. I know I’m going to feel a bit lost. I’m going to be very lonely.

Although you and Salman are a pair off screen, on screen you both never end up together. Why?
When it comes to the people who you have worked with a few times, it is important that every film you do presents yourself differently. Other-wise, it would become monotonous.

Have you seen his new show till now?
No, I was away at the IIFA when it launched, so I haven’t seen it as yet. I will catch it this weekend for sure.

But have you been on the sets of the show prior to the big launch when he was just shooting for the episodes?
(Laughs) I am not going to talk about that.

What sense do you get of the show?
I think it’s nice. I feel it is going to do really well as it is a mass-oriented show and I think it has a mass appeal and people will really like it.

What do think about all big stars taking to TV?
After so many years of working in movies, you want to try something different. If it makes more financial sense, why not? At the end of the day, to secure your future is the criteria in this industry.

But Salman is reportedly getting 50 crores a film… does he really need to secure his future?
I don’t know.. you just did an interview with him… you should go ask him (winks).

You had the hits but no best actress award. Why?
Yeah, I know what you mean. I keep winning these style diva awards but I never really know what that means (laughs). The biggest achievement that you can have as an actor I feel is that your films do well at the box-office. You can’t be greedy and want everything.

So you chose box-office success to an award?
I want to do roles that I want to do, period. I am not going to do a film which I think will get me an award but no one will watch. What’d be the point of that? At least, I don’t want to, so early in my career.

What’s going on between Kareena Kapoor and you?
It is just a figment of people’s imagination. Maybe there is a lot going on in Kareena’s life and maybe there is a lot going on in mine. I don’t think anyone is trying to outdo anyone. She’s doing a lot of work, so am I. There are bound to be comparisons. That’s about it.

How much do you charge for a movie?
I’m not saying. I have professional discretion and a bit of elegance. People will only pay you what you deserve. They will only pay you only what they can recover. Nobody will pay you out of the box. Especially to an actress. They won’t pay a high amount.

But you can ask for big money seeing that your films have done well.
The films I did in the past that have done well, were good commercially. If one of my films don’t do as well tomorrow, that wont mean that people will discard my work. It is always about the films, which have worked in totality.

People believe there is a lot of friction between you and Salman. True?
Today it is this and tomorrow its something else. People always have something to say. I don’t want to reveal anything personal to anyone. I am happy that way. I like to live in my own little personal space. Cancereans are private people by nature, so I think it odd to answer questions that can be too straight at times.