‘26th June will be Judgement Day’

Katrina Kaif can’t wait for “New York” to release. After all, this is probably the first time she has gone de-glam, playing a character who could very much be your girl-next-door.

While Kat admits that the ultimate fate of this Kabir Khan-directed film rests in the hands of the audience, she says she did have a blast while shooting, especially because she could play a college girl – something she missed out in real life as she started working early in life.

In a chat, she talks about her forthcoming film and being ‘herself’ on screen:

There has been a lot of talk about your character in ‘New York’. While some say this is your best role ever, some talk of you going de-glam…

When I was offered this film, I remember telling Adi (Aditya Chopra) and Kabir to give me a film which is more ‘me’, like a ‘Namastey London’. And he told me that if I do this film I will understand that this role is more ‘me’ than any of my other characters.

And he was right. I don’t know if the audience will like it or not, but for the first time I could see ‘me’ in a film. The situations were so normal and very real-life. There were no restrictions or limitations. I was told to be just the person I am off camera.

How would you sum up the entire experience of shooting for the film?

It has been a wonderful journey to go through the process of the film and being a part of the making of the film.

For people who have liked me in any role I have done so far, this will be a chance to see me in a different light altogether. But it is not in a depressing light or that I’m ‘trying’ to go de-glam or serious.

I am me with no make-up and in simple clothes. It is a fun way to express yourself.

And you happen to play a college girl in the film?

I never really got to go to college much as I started working very early. So this was my chance to play what I would have probably been like if I was in college. It was fun experiencing that phase of life which I had not experienced before.

How did Kabir Khan explain the character to you?

I remember Kabir talking to me about the film… He said my character, Maya, is supposed to be like the little bit of sunshine in the midst of the darkness in the film. He didn’t give me too much of a brief as to what the character should exactly be like. He just said Maya is like every woman. She is the girl-next-door, classmate in college. She is not the girl who makes heads turn. She is just a part of the group and not the star of the group.

He said, ‘You have to find the real you. You have to find the you which is not the actress, but what you are without the make-up and the glamour elements’. So for me it has been a very interesting experience to be a part of a film which allows me to do something like this.

The film’s promos show two contrasting worlds. While it shows all three protagonists cheerful in the beginning, it suddenly takes a grim turn. Is this a very serious film with a message against terrorism?

As an audience when you pay for a movie, you want to be entertained. You don’t want to be preached to or educated or feel like being taught a lesson. I can honestly say that ‘New York’ will take you on a journey which will be unexpected.

Don’t think it is a social message film or a very serious film. It is not. It is a film about human emotions, the lives of these three people and the journey that they go on. It is a wonderfully emotional film and you will feel for these characters. And there is also a romantic track in this film.

For me that is very important. I need a little bit of romance in movies and I can’t take anything too serious after a while.

Kabir has done a great job by getting all these elements into ‘New York’. He has told the story in a very unique way. It has all the Hindi film emotions, but told in a very English storytelling format.

The release is almost here. Does this make you nervous considering ‘New York’ is not your regular ‘masala’ movie?

I am very nervous. 26th June will be the Judgement Day. And the judgment is in the hands of the audience. The film has been a close-to-heart experience. I hope the audience connects to the story as I did.

Just a last question…you recently shot with Salman Khan for ‘10 Ka Dum’. Tell us about it.

It was fun. But it was also scary as Salman is a person who is unpredictable. He is very spontaneous. So he took me by surprise in the show!