Katrina, who is adapting a French film in her debut as producer, has been carefully studying Meryl’s mean machinations in her own effort to play a meanie on screen. “I have to be a really selfish, scheming woman who stops at nothing to achieve her ambitions... and yet stay connected to the audience. And, boy, does this character enjoy creating scenes! I don’t want to copy the actress in the original film. This would be my take on a character I like because she’s just the opposite of who and what I am. I don’t like such characters in real life, honestly,” revealed Kat.
Meryl Streep apart, Katrina is also looking at Kim Novak in Human Bondage, Glen Close in 101 Dalmations, Faye Dunaway in Dunston Checks In, all fine examples of Hollywood actresses playing wicked women, and some desi versions from Bollywood like Bindu in Do Raaste as well. To play a grey almost-negative character, the actress believes will be the biggest challenge of her career so far. Which is true, because being mean doesn’t come easily to Katrina, and close friends laugh at her inability to lose her temper or be rude to people who upset her.
“I am not confrontational by nature. This character I’ve to play is aggressive to the point of being alien to me. I would rather walk away from ugly situations than let my private space be crowded with chaos and negativity. And that’s a problem,” said the actress. After this, still thinking on grey lines, Katrina is looking at producing a film where she can discard her good looks and be unattractive if not downright disfigured like Charlize Theron in Monster.
But for the moment, Katrina is just too into playing a woman who has men dancing around her little finger for as long as she doesn’t tire of them. Then she moves on. Her co-star and buddy Ranbir Kapoor, who has a role in Katrina’s debut as producer, wittily remarked that she needn’t look at Hollywood for inspiration to play such roles. There are plenty of vicious real-life examples in Bollywood itself !
