Shubha Shetty-Saha 

She guards her personal life intensely. So, it came as a surprise that she asked us to meet at her tastefully done up home, and even with her affable mom visiting her from Chennai.
 
Within three years, this girl from UK, who didn’t know how to speak clear Hindi (she still speaks with a heavy English accent), has actually managed to be a part of four hit films in a row. “I was this babe in the woods. I had to learn how to behave in this industry. But I had this desire in my heart to fit in. If you have an intense wish, nothing is impossible,” she says.

Ask her if she reached so far with support from her beau Salman Khan and she retorts immediately, “Tell me, apart from the first film that I did with Salman, what gives people the impression that it’s because of him that I am here? In Partner I was cast opposite Govinda and it was his comeback film. I respect Govinda immensely. But how many actresses would have agreed to be cast opposite him at that point of time? I could have easily asked for Lara Dutta’s role and could have been paired opposite Salman. I dare to say that if they had gone to someone like Priyanka (Chopra) she wouldn’t have agreed to do that role,” she says.

Katrina would rather give credit to Akshay Kumar. She says, “It’s Akshay who took that chance with me. Before Namastey London, Akshay was in that crucial phase of his career—on the brink of becoming a superstar. He could have easily refused to work with a newcomer like me. He supported me with nothing to gain. Whatever confidence I have gained today is what I have got from him. He is so confident of both himself and you that you don’t have a choice but to reflect that,” she says.

“How can people say that my career is because of Salman? Most of my films are with Akshay. And it’s not like Salman and Akshay are the best of friends. It’s not like they are one big happy family and that Salman recommended me to Akshay,” she adds with an endearing smile.

Kat says she has a long way to go. “I have just about completed three years. All other actresses have been here longer. Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherji have been around for almost 10 years. Preity Zinta has been here for almost eight years. Priyanka has been around for a while too. So I have time on my side,” she says candidly.

She also feels that strange deductions are being made about her relationship with Salman because the two don’t talk about it. “Salman and I are very private people; perhaps I am more private than he is. We don’t talk to the media about our relationship. But this story about him abusing me is utter rubbish. Trust me, if anyone was hitting anyone, it would be me!” she laughs. Probe her further about Salman and she blushes, “Don’t even go there!”

But a huge picture of Salman adorning the walls of her cosy den speaks much more than words. “Isn’t he looking lovely in this picture?” asks the proud girlfriend, “He looks so different from those usual stud-like pictures!” We agree.

But right now, she would rather concentrate on wooing Saif Ali Khan in her forthcoming film Race produced by Tips. “It is something that I’ve never done before.There are many twists and turns in the film that I absolutely loved being a part of it,” she says.