Katrina Kaif (born 16 July 1984) is a British Indian actress and former model who appears in Indian films, mainly in the Hindi-language film industry. She has also appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. She was voted the sexiest Asian woman in the world by Eastern Eye in the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. Being a British citizen, she works in India on an employment visa.

Kaif was born in Hong Kong to an Indian Kashmiri father, Mohammed Kaif, and an English mother, Suzanne Turquotte, both of whom are British citizens. Her parents divorced when she was very young. Kaif stated once, "my dad, unfortunately, and not out of choice, has had no influence on our upbringing, on our religious or social or moral bearings." Kaif has seven siblings. From Hong Kong, she and her family moved to China, then to Japan. Then from Japan (by boat) to France when she was 8, and also moved to Switzerland, Kraków, Berlin, Belgium, and many other East European countries where she and her family were there for a few months each. Then they moved to Hawaii, and eventually later moved to her mother's home country, England. It is widely speculated that Kaif is from London, when in fact, she only lived there for three years before finally moving to Mumbai.

Career

Kaif began her modeling career at the age fourteen; her first job was for a jewelry campaign. She continued modeling in London under a contract with the Models 1 Agency and did campaigns for houses such as La Senza and Arcadius, and even walked on the London Fashion Week.

Kaif's London modeling-work led to her discovery by London-based filmmaker Kaizad Gustad, who gave her a part in his film Boom (2003). She moved to Mumbai and was offered a number of modeling assignments. However, filmmakers were initially hesitant to sign her because she could not speak Hindi. Kaif saw moderate success with the 2005 film Sarkar, where she played the bit part of Abhishek Bachchan's girlfriend, and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (2005), where she was paired opposite Salman Khan. In 2007, Kaif appeared in her first major hit movie, Namastey London, wherein she starred as a British Indian girl alongside Akshay Kumar for the second time after the box office letdown Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006). Her run of hit films continued with Apne, Partner, and Welcome.

In 2008, she played the villain role for the first time in Abbas-Mustan's hit action thriller Race. She played the role of Saif Ali Khan's secretary who is secretly in love with his hostile stepbrother (played by Akshay Khanna). Kaif's second release of the year was Anees Bazmee's production Singh Is Kinng, opposite Akshay Kumar. The film was a big success at the box office. Kaif's final release of the year, Subhash Ghai's Yuvvraaj, was a commercial failure, but its script has made its way into the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for artistic merits, original screenplay with a substance, and the film as a whole.

Kaif's first release for 2009, New York, with John Abraham, was a critical and commercial success. Kaif's performance was highly regarded. Wrote critic Taran Adarsh, "Katrina gives you the biggest surprise. Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time." She next played a bit role as a biker chick in the multi-starrer action film Blue, popularly known as India's first underwater thriller, which performed decently at the box office. The film was not successful. At the year's end, she appeared in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, with Ranbir Kapoor, and De Dana Dan with Akshay Kumar. Both films were commercial successes. Kaif's first film of 2010 was Raajneeti, where she appeared opposite Ranbir Kapoor. The film did extremely well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster status. She is also starred in Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan with Akshay Kumar. The film was released on 24 December 2010. Although the film was not successful, Kaif's item song Sheila Ki Jawani was a hit.

Voice

It should be noted that due to her poor knowledge of Hindi (and other Indian languages), Katrina Kaif's voice has often been dubbed over by another actress for many of her early films. With the exception of De Dana Dan, all her films since New York feature her real voice. Earlier films in which her real voice is also heard are Singh Is Kinng, Namastey London and Boom