Katrina Kaif, born Katrina Turcotte on July 16, 1983, is a British actress who primarily appears in Bollywood films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, Kaif has received numerous accolades, including four Screen Awards and four Zee Cine Awards, alongside three Filmfare nominations. While she has faced criticism for her acting, she is noted for her roles in action films and her dancing ability.
Born in British Hong Kong, Katrina lived in several countries before moving to London, where she spent three years. She began her career as a fashion model at 14 after winning a beauty pageant in Hawaii. At a fashion show in London, Indian filmmaker Kaizad Gustad cast her in Boom (2003). While Kaif established a successful modelling career in India, she initially faced difficulty securing film roles due to her limited command of Hindi. She made her acting debut in Boom, which was a critical and commercial failure. While filming in India, Kaif received other offers and decided to stay in the country. She was noticed as a model after walking the ramp for Rohit Bal at the India Fashion Week and appeared in the first Kingfisher Calendar.
After appearing in the Telugu film Malliswari (2004), Kaif achieved commercial success in Bollywood with the romantic comedies Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005) and Namastey London (2007). Malliswari was a profitable venture, and she received a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination for it. 2007 marked a turning point in her career when all four of her releases were box office successes. Further success followed with a series of box-office hits, though she was criticised for her acting, repetitive roles, and inclination to male-dominated films.
Kaif's performances in the thriller New York (2009) and the romantic comedy Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011) were better received, earning her nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She starred in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009), Raajneeti (2010), and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) during this period. She found major commercial success in the action thrillers Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Dhoom 3 (2013), and Bang Bang! (2014), all of which rank among the highest-grossing Indian films.
Kaif's first success in these years came with the sequel Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), which earned over ₹5.54 billion (US$66 million). In 2018, Kaif featured in two of the most expensive Indian films of all time—the action adventure Thugs of Hindostan and the romantic comedy Zero, both of which were commercial failures. In the media, Kaif frequently features in listings of India's most popular and attractive celebrities. A regular brand endorser, she launched her cosmetic line Kay Beauty in 2019.
Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal tied the knot in 2021. In a recent interview, Katrina Kaif opened up about her husband Vicky Kaushal's “unconditional love” for her, saying he “gives me a lot of love and appreciation”. Vicky Kaushal also reminisced about their first encounter with Katrina Kaif. "The first time we ever spoke to each other was a part of an interview while the cameras were rolling," said Vicky Kaushal. Talking about how his encounters with Katrina blossomed into romance, he said, "First few times, nothing was planned ki hum milne ka plan kar rahe hain ya hum baat kar rahe hain (Initially we didn't plan our meetings)". Katrina Kaif also said that she is married to the most wonderful man and he is just the sweetest person.
