Katrina Kaif (pronounced[kəˈʈriːnakɛːf]; bornKatrina Turquotte, 16 July 1983) is a British actress who works inHindi-language films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, she hasreceived accolades, including fourScreen Awards and fourZee Cine Awards, in addition to threeFilmfare nominations. Though reception to her acting has varied, she is noted for her action film roles and her dancing ability.
Born inBritish Hong Kong, Kaif lived in several countries before she moved toLondon for three years. She received her first modelling assignment as a teenager and later pursued a career as a fashion model. At a fashion show in London, Indian filmmakerKaizad Gustad cast her inBoom (2003), a critical and commercial failure. While Kaif established a successful modelling career in India, she initially had difficulty finding film roles due to her poor command of Hindi. After appearing in the Telugu filmMalliswari (2004), Kaif earned commercial success inBollywood with the romantic comediesMaine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005) andNamastey London (2007). Further success followed with a series of box-office hits, but she was criticised for her acting, repetitive roles, and inclination tomale-dominated films.
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. She participates in stage shows and is involved with her mother's charity Relief Projects India, which works to help underprivileged children. Kaif is married to actorVicky Kaushal.
Early life and family
Katrina Kaif was born inBritish Hong Kong with her mother's surname Turquotte (also spelt Turcotte), on 16 July 1983.[1][2][3] Her father, Mohammed Kaif, is a British businessman ofKashmiri descent and her mother (Suzanne, also spelt Susanna) is an English lawyer and charity worker.[4][5] She has seven siblings;[6] one sister, Isabel, is also a model and actress.[7] Kaif's parents divorced when she was a child, and her father moved to the United States. She said her father had no influence on her or her siblings while they were growing up, and that they were raised by their mother.[1][5][8] In a 2009 interview withThe Indian Express, she said she was not in touch with her father.[5] Ethnically, Katrina stated that she is "hundred per cent Indian".[5]
Kaif's paternal parentage has been questioned by some members of the film industry.[1] In a 2011 interview withMumbai Mirror,Boom producerAyesha Shroff accused Kaif of fabricating her history: "We created an identity for her. She was this pretty young English girl, and we gave her the Kashmiri father and thought of calling her Katrina Kazi. We thought we'd give her some kind of Indian ancestry, to connect with the audience ... But then we thought that Kazi sounded too ... religious? ...Mohammad Kaif was at the top, and so we said, Katrina Kaif sounds really great".[4] Kaif denied this, calling Shroff's comments "hurtful".[1]
As Kaif's mother is a social activist, the family relocated to a number of countries for varying lengths of time.[8] Therefore, Kaif and her siblings werehome-schooled by a series of tutors.[9] She said:
Our transitions in growing up were—from Hong Kong where I was born, to China, then to Japan, and from Japan by boat to France ... After France, Switzerland—and I'm cutting out many East European countries where we were for only a few months each—then Poland inKraków ... After that we went to Belgium, then to Hawaii, which was a short time, and then came to London.[8]
Kaif lived in London for three years before moving to India.[8] At age14, Kaif won a beauty contest in Hawaii, and received her first modelling assignment in a jewellery campaign.[10] She subsequently modelled professionally in London, working for freelance agencies and appearing regularly at theLondon Fashion Week.[1] During this period, she visited India for the first time after an Asian friend suggested they take a trip there.[11]
Boom (2003) had its first screening at theCannes Film Festival, where it was heavily promoted,[19][20] but emerged as a commercial and critical failure.[21][22] Kaif's portrayal of a supermodel ensnared in theMumbai underworld was poorly received;Ziya Us Salam ofThe Hindu wrote of the weak performances by Kaif and the other female stars, criticising their inexpressiveness.[23] She later dismissedBoom as an unimportant part of her career, ascribing her choice to her unawareness of Indian audiences' film taste then.[24]Hindustan Times reported that afterBoom's release, Kaif was written off due to her poorHindi and thick British accent;[25] as a result, filmmakers were hesitant in casting her in their films.[26] Kaif soon began working on her diction through Hindi classes.[24] In 2003, directorMahesh Bhatt replaced Kaif withTara Sharma inSaaya as he found Kaif's acting on set subpar compared to her audition for the role.[27]
In 2006, she appeared inRaj Kanwar's unsuccessfulHumko Deewana Kar Gaye, which marked the first of her frequent collaborations with costarAkshay Kumar.[38] It tells the story of two like-minded strangers who fall in love despite being engaged to others. A Sify critic wrote that Kaif was "passably competent in a tailor-made role, giving a mild emotional spin to a couple of scenes" but was overshadowed by her supporting actresses.[39] The same year, Kaif played an actress withMammootty in theMalayalam crime thrillerBalram vs. Tharadas.[40][41]
Kaif's career prospects improved in 2007, when she appeared in four Bollywood hits.[42] In an interview withThe Indian Express, she calledVipul Amrutlal Shah's romantic comedyNamastey London her first dominating role.[5] Kaif used her life in London as a reference for her role of Jasmeet Malhotra, a spoiltBritish Indian girl intent on marrying her self-centred British boyfriend despite her parents' disapproval.[43] Although critics expressed mixed views on the film,[44] Sukanya Verma wrote that Kaif "suits the role to the T" and "brings the zingy mix of her character alive with style and substance".[45] Kaif's chemistry with co-star Akshay Kumar was particularly well received, withNikhat Kazmi ofThe Times of India calling their casting "refreshing".[46]Taran Adarsh fromBollywood Hungama found Kaif confident inHumko Deewana Kar Gaye andNamastey London and "a revelation" in the latter, praising her for being convincing in the complex scenes.[47] In the bookIndian Film Stars: New Critical Perspectives, author Michael Lawrence wrote that filmmakers' decision to cast Kaif as anon-resident Indian in several films, includingNamastey London, was to capitalise on her foreign looks. Lawrence considered Kaif's Hindi with an English accent part of her appeal.[48]
Kaif andAkshay Kumar on the set ofWelcome (2007); they teamed in several successful films.[49]
Kaif had a supporting role as a doctor in the sports dramaApne, a highly anticipated release as it marked the first appearance ofDharmendra with his sons,Sunny Deol andBobby Deol.[50] AfterApne she rejoined director David Dhawan and Salman Khan for the comedyPartner, a remake ofHitch which co-starredGovinda andLara Dutta.[51] With a worldwide revenue of₹1.03 billion (US$12 million), the film was a major financial success.[52][53] Kaif's final film of the year wasAnees Bazmee's comedyWelcome, alongside Akshay Kumar,Nana Patekar,Mallika Sherawat andAnil Kapoor. Although the film generated mostly negative reviews, it proved to be thesecond highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2007.[42][52] The similarity of Kaif's roles was noted byShoma Chaudhury ofTehelka, who called her "unabashed eye-candy", adding that she was "a pretty prop inWelcome" and "more of the same inPartner andApne".[9]
In 2008, Kaif had three releases, the first of which wasAbbas–Mustan's action thrillerRace, a story about two stepbrothers-turned-rivals who are in contention for their father'sinsurance money. Kaif playedSaif Ali Khan's secretary, who is his stepbrother's (Akshaye Khanna) lover. Nikhat Kazmi was appreciative of the film's look and action but found Kaif unimpressive in her role.[54] Kaif rejoined Akshay Kumar in Anees Bazmee's action comedySingh Is Kinng, which earned₹1.25 billion (US$14 million) worldwide to become her sixth consecutive box-office success.[25][53][55] However, she received mixed reviews for her performance.[42]Rajeev Masand ofNews18 found Kaif "an eyesore in every sense of the word" and her acting weak.[56] Kaif's final film of the year—Subhash Ghai's dramaYuvvraaj—was a major box-office failure.[55] In preparation for her role as a cellist she practised with orchestra members.[57] Her portrayal of a girl forbidden by her father from marrying her poor lover was well received by Sify's Sonia Chopra: "Katrina is wonderful, plays the cello convincingly, and looks ethereal."[58] Despite the film's mixed critical reception, its screenplay was added to the library of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its artistic merit.[59][60]
Up until this point, Kaif's voice wasdubbed over by voice artists in most of her films due to her lack of fluency in Hindi and otherIndian languages.[a] Although her films during this period were financially successful, critics noted that she played unimportant roles in them as they were generallymale-dominated,[25][63] whereas her performances were largely criticised.[64][65] She justified choosing these glamorous roles as part of learning without any goal for a certain kind of film.[1] When criticised for her reluctance to appear in smaller scale films to garner credibility as an actress, she responded: "I do not believe that you have to take off your make-up and look simple to prove you're an actress ... I'm not going to make a morose film, which no one will watch just so people take me seriously as an actress."[48] Kaif participated in Shah Rukh Khan's "Temptations Reloaded" world concert tour in 2008. Also featuringKareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal, the tour began inAmsterdam in June and ended four months later inDubai's Festival City Arena before an audience of 15,000.[66][67]
Mainstream success (2009–2013)
After a string of films in which she was cast in glamorous, "arm candy" roles, Kaif began looking for more substantial parts.[68] One such opportunity arose withKabir Khan's terrorism dramaNew York (2009).[69] CostarringJohn Abraham andNeil Nitin Mukesh, the film follows the lives of three friends when one of them iswrongly detained after9/11. Kaif played Maya, a college student who unknowingly marries a terrorist. Having facedracial discrimination when she was in London, Kaif identified with the character's experiences.[70]New York performed well at the box office and received favourable reviews.[71][72] According toSubhash K. Jha, Kaif was successful as an actress in a substantial role and convincingly portrayed her character's transition from a carefree student to a tormented wife.[73] A reviewer forThe Times of India considered it to be her career's best performance.[74]New York brought Kaif her firstFilmfare Award nomination for Best Actress.[75] She then appeared in a cameo for India's first underwater thrillerBlue.[76] Kaif starred withRanbir Kapoor inRajkumar Santoshi's hit comedy,Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009), as an orphan forced to marry a rich man.[77]Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama praised the actors' energetic pairing and found that Kaif performed well in both emotional and light scenes.[78] Her final film of the year wasPriyadarshan's comedyDe Dana Dan.[68] She performed withAkon at the closing ceremony of the2009 Indian Premier League at theWanderers Stadium inJohannesburg,[79]
Kaif in 2010
In 2010, Kaif appeared inPrakash Jha's political thrillerRaajneeti as part of an ensemble cast which included Ranbir Kapoor,Ajay Devgan,Arjun Rampal, Nana Patekar,Manoj Bajpai andSarah Thompson. The film took inspiration fromThe Mahabharata andMario Puzo's 1969 novelThe Godfather.[80] Set inBhopal, the film described a fiercely fought election campaign by two parties attempting to seize power with manipulation, corruption, and treachery. Kaif rejected the media's speculation that her character was based onSonia Gandhi. In preparation for her role as Indu, a politician loosely based onDraupadi, she watchedPriyanka Gandhi's election campaign videos to study the body language and interaction of politicians.[81][82] The film received mainly positive reviews from critics.[83] Rajeev Masand foundRaajneeti "thrilling and gripping", thoughNamrata Joshi was critical of the film's depiction of women.[84][85] Nikhat Kazmi considered Kaif's performance to be "carefree and camera-unconscious" and wrote that she "seems to slip into the high-powered shoes easily".[86] The film was highly successful at the box office, receiving a total collection of₹1.4 billion (US$16 million).[53][87]
Kaif collaborated with Akshay Kumar for the sixth time in theslapstick comedyTees Maar Khan (2010), in which she played an aspiring actress, the girlfriend of a criminal (Kumar).[88] In the film, Kaif performed a popularitem number titled "Sheila Ki Jawani". The song was choreographed by the film's directorFarah Khan and for the belly dancing portion, Kaif was trained by expert Veronica D'Souza.[89] In contrast to the song's popularity,Tees Maar Khan was panned by critics and its box-office performance was poor.[90][91] Kaif's portrayal was not well received; Renuka Rao ofDaily News and Analysis found her "drama queen act" poor but noted that she was exceptional in the item number.[92]
The following year, Kaif was paired withHrithik Roshan inZoya Akhtar's coming-of-age dramedyZindagi Na Milegi Dobara.[93] The film narrates the story of three friends on a bachelor trip and features Kaif as Laila, a diving instructor who becomes romantically involved with Roshan's character and inspires him overcome hisworkaholism. She had difficulty filming herscuba diving scene due to her inexperience; she was so scared she dug her nails into costar Roshan.[94] The film was a critical and commercial success.[95][96] Richard Kuipers ofVariety commented that she is "delightful" in the role of a cordial young woman who encourages others to confront their weaknesses.[97]Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara received numerous Best Film accolades.[98] The romantic comedyMere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011), produced byYash Raj Films, starred Kaif alongsideImran Khan andAli Zafar.[99] She found herself challenged by the role of Dimple Dixit, whose loquacious and unpredictable nature strongly contrasted with Kaif's personality.[100] The film opened to mixed reviews, but Kaif was generally praised for her portrayal.[42][101] The bookMother Maiden Mistress calls Dimple one of the more interesting female characters of the year.[102] According to Gaurav Malani ofThe Economic Times, the film is mainly watchable for "Katrina's live-wire energy wherein she never goes overboard and keeps bustling with vivacity through the runtime."[103] For this performance, Kaif received her second Filmfare nomination in the Best Actress category.[75]
In 2012, Kaif appeared in "Chikni Chameli", an item number inAgneepath that incorporated dance steps from theLavani genre (aMaharashtrian folk dance). Filming the music video, which finished in ten days,[104] proved challenging for Kaif, as its style was new to her.[105] Rachit Gupta ofFilmfare attributed the song's success partly to her "infectious energy", noting her "gyrations and belly movements were an onslaught of attraction for the fans".[106] Kaif appeared next in Kabir Khan's espionage thrillerEk Tha Tiger as a PakistaniISI agent who falls in love with an IndianRAW agent. The film received predominantly positive reviews, with Aniruddha Guha ofDaily News and Analysis calling it "smart and stylish".[107][108]Shubhra Gupta ofThe Indian Express wrote about her performance: "Katrina is an able, animated foil to Salman, her long legs making her leaps and kicks credible".[109] With worldwide earnings of₹3.1 billion (US$35 million),Ek Tha Tiger was thehighest-grossing Bollywood film of the year.[110]
Later in the year, Kaif was paired withShah Rukh Khan inYash Chopra'sswan song, the romanceJab Tak Hai Jaan.[111] She expressed her excitement at working with Chopra, saying he "undoubtedly is the king of romance and I have always admired the way he presents his heroines. It was always a dream to work with him and the reality is even better."[112] She played Meera, a woman who vows to end her affair with her comatose lover if he survives. Although the film received mostly positive reviews, Kaif's performance had a mixed reception.[113] News18 deemed Kaif inexpressive in her part and found her struggling in emotional and complex scenes.[114] Commercially, the film proved a box-office hit with revenues of₹2.11 billion (US$24 million) worldwide.[115] Kaif later participated and walked the ramp in a fashion show that was held in memory of Chopra.[116]
Kaif rejoined Shah Rukh Khan for his 2013 "Temptations Reloaded" concert inMuscat, performing to an audience of over 18,000,[117] and joined Shah Rukh Khan,Deepika Padukone andPitbull inKolkata for the opening ceremony of the2013 IPL season.[118] In 2013, she appeared briefly withAamir Khan inVijay Krishna Acharya's action thrillerDhoom 3.[119] To prepare for her role as a circus performer, she undertook a year-long regimen ofPilates,functional training andaerial straps.[120] The film received ambivalent reviews and Kaif was criticised for taking on an insubstantial part, though Taran Adarsh found her to be "ethereal" and "moving with incredible grace in dance numbers".[121][122] Earning₹5.42 billion (US$62 million) in box-office receipts,Dhoom 3 became thehighest-grossing Bollywood film of all time until it was surpassed byPK in 2014.[123]
Career fluctuations (2014–2018)
Kaif's next appearance was inSiddharth Anand'sBang Bang! (2014), a remake of the 2010 action comedyKnight and Day.[124] She played a bank receptionist who is unwittingly caught up with a secret agent (Hrithik Roshan). Raja Sen of Rediff.com disliked her performance, describing it as "insufferable".[125] The film was commercially successful, though financial analysts observed that it had failed to meet box-office expectations.[126] Kaif's sole appearance of 2015 was with Saif Ali Khan in Kabir Khan's Mumbai-basedpost 26/11counter-terrorism dramaPhantom.[127] To prepare for the role of former RAW agent Nawaz Mistry, Kaif learned someArabic.[128]Phantom and Kaif's two releases the following year—Fitoor andBaar Baar Dekho—were commercial failures.[129][130]Abhishek Kapoor'sFitoor is an adaptation ofCharles Dickens'Great Expectations in which Kaif played a role based onEstella Havisham along withTabu andAditya Roy Kapur.[131] Namrata Joshi found Kaif good in scenes where she dances, smiles or flirts, but inadequate in dramatic parts.[132] Suresh Mathew ofThe Quint observed that the poor critical and commercial reception ofFitoor was particularly significant for Kaif, as unlike her contemporaries at this time, she failed to carry a film on her own, and her performance was panned.[133] She was paired withSidharth Malhotra inNitya Mehra's science-fiction romanceBaar Baar Dekho.[134] Shubhra Gupta ofThe Indian Express found Kaif expressionless but praised her and Malhotra's energetic dance number in "Kala Chashma", which amassed over one billion views onYouTube.[135][136] Also in 2016, she joined other Indian celebrities for the "Dream Team Tour", where they performed in various American cities.[137]
Kaif next acted opposite Ranbir Kapoor inAnurag Basu's comedy-adventureJagga Jasoos. The film was released in 2017 after delays caused by changes in the script and multiple reshoots.[138] The film opened to a mixed critical response and was a commercial disappointment.[139]Mayank Shekhar fromMid-Day praised Kaif and Kapoor for being confident before the camera,[140] butSaibal Chatterjee of NDTV noted Kaif's failed attempt to hold her own against Kapoor.[141] In the same year, Kaif reteamed with Salman Khan, reprising the role ofZoya in Ali Abbas Zafar's action thrillerTiger Zinda Hai, a sequel to the 2012 filmEk Tha Tiger. The film premiered on theChristmas weekend to strong box office collections, eventually grossing over₹5.6 billion (US$64 million) worldwide to rank as her highest-grossing release.[142][143] Rachit Gupta wrote that Kaif compensated for her limited dialogue by convincingly performing the scenes withhand-to-hand combat and gun fights, calling it "invigorating to see a lady kick-ass with so much élan and pull all the punches like they're real".[144] ABBC article by Shubhra Gupta on Bollywood's objectification of female characters found Kaif's status as an action heroine refreshing.[145]
Kaif's two releases in 2018—the period action-adventure filmThugs of Hindostan and the romantic comedy-dramaZero—were made on lucrative budgets. Despite being among the most anticipated releases that year, both films were unsuccessful at the box office.[146][147] With respect to the failure of the former, Kaif admitted to have not invested much in the project due to her limited screen time.[147] InAanand L Rai'sZero, she reunited with Shah Rukh Khan andAnushka Sharma afterJab Tak Hai Jaan. Kaif was initially hesitant about accepting the part of a second female lead but eventually agreed after Khan and Rai insisted.[148] ThoughZero received mixed reviews from critics, Kaif's portrayal of an alcoholic actress earned her critical praise;[149] Udita Jhunjhunwala ofMint credited her for delivering "what could be considered her most authentic performance".[150] Calling her one of Bollywood's "scene stealers" in 2018, Sukanya Verma thought Kaif was a "revelation" and her "constantly crying eyes, poker-faced cynicism and wholehearted submission to demeaning impulses underscore the fragility under the furore".[151] ForZero, she received aZee Cine Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Filmfare nominationin the same category.[152][153]
2019–present
Kaif and her frequent co-starSalman Khan, pictured promotingBharat in 2019
In 2019, Kaif once again collaborated with Salman Khan and Ali Abbas Zafar in the dramaBharat, an adaptation of the South Korean filmOde to My Father (2014). Kaif replacedPriyanka Chopra in the role of an engineer who falls in love with Khan's character.[154] Kaif rejected media speculation that she accepted the part as a favour for her friend Khan and cited her appreciation of the script.[155]Bharat became one of thehighest-grossing Hindi films of 2019.[156] While reviews of the film were varied,[157] Mike McCahil ofThe Guardian noted the "well-tended chemistry" between Kaif and Khan and thought "the sincerity in her gaze" helped the audience ignore her character's questionable choices.[158] Kaif's only 2020 film would have beenRohit Shetty'sSooryavanshi alongside Akshay Kumar, but theCOVID-19 pandemic in India caused it several delays until its final November2021 release.[159] An admirer of Shetty's larger-than-life directing style, Kaif played the wife of Kumar's character.[160]Sooryavanshi was a box-office success, briefly becoming India's highest-grossing film of the year.[161] Kaif next played a ghost in the comedy horror filmPhone Bhoot (2022), oppositeSiddhant Chaturvedi andIshaan Khatter. Reviewers fromThe Indian Express andThe Week were unimpressed with her comedic timing.[162][163]
Kaif next reprised her role as Zoya inTiger 3 (2023), as part of theYRF Spy Universe.[164] She considered the two-month physical training to perform her stunts in the film to be the most challenging of her career.[165] A reviewer in criticRoger Ebert's website wrote that Kaif "gets to steal a couple of scenes", in particular a combat sequence in a bathhouse, while maintaining a superior allure with a gun compared to her co-star Salman Khan.[166]Tiger 3 had the biggest opening weekend of Kaif's career, and went on to gross over₹4.6 billion (US$53 million) worldwide.[143][167]
In 2024, Kaif starred withVijay Sethupathi inSriram Raghavan's thrillerMerry Christmas, about two strangers who connect on Christmas Eve. Two versions of the film were shot, one in Hindi and the other inTamil.[168] Kaif described the process of filming the Tamil version as particularly difficult, as she did not understand the language.[169] Writing forScroll.in, Jhunjhunwala praised the chemistry between Sethupathi and her, and added that "Kaif captures Maria's fragility and cheerfulness with an openness that is rare to find in her performances".[170] The film failed commercially despite its positive critical reception.[171]
Kaif has a close relationship with her family, and the lack of a father figure in her life has given her a sense of responsibility towards them.[172] While Kaif's mother is Christian and her father is Muslim, Kaif says she was allowed to practise a faith of her choice and is a "firm believer in God".[173][174]The Times of India reported in 2009 that she visitsSiddhivinayak Temple,Mount Mary Church, andSufi shrineAjmer Sharif Dargah before her films are released.[175]
Kaif is reluctant to discuss her personal life, which has been the subject of media attention in India. "I have always believed that there is life before marriage and after marriage. Before marriage...you are termed a single woman and I choose to conduct that part of my life with absolute dignity and discretion."[176]
Although rumours of a relationship with actorSalman Khan emerged in 2003,[16] it was not until years after their break-up that Kaif spoke of it, calling it her first serious relationship.[177] They have remained friends, and she credits Khan for giving her confidence and guidance.[178] Kaif was linked to actorRanbir Kapoor during the filming ofAjab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.[179] In August2013, photographs of Kapoor and Kaif on holidays were leaked byStardust which were interpreted as confirmation of a romantic relationship.[180] After the appearance of the photos, Kaif published an open letter stating that she was "upset, distressed and invaded" by the breach of privacy.[181] They broke up in 2016.[182]
Kaif married actorVicky Kaushal on 9December2021 in a traditionalHindu wedding ceremony at Six Senses Resort, Fort Barwara inSawai Madhopur,Rajasthan.[183] Their wedding was the subject of wide media coverage, making their official wedding pictures the most-liked post onInstagram in India until then.[184]
Off-screen work
Kaif supports various causes and charitable organisations. She has garnered praise fromThe Times of India for maintaining a low-profile about her philanthropic work.[185] Kaif is actively involved with Relief Projects India, acharitable trust run by her mother which works in furthering the cause of underprivileged children, including providing quality education, rehabilitating and educating orphans and working to prevent femaleinfanticide.[186][187] She donates a sum of her earnings annually to the fund and her winnings from the game shows10 Ka Dum andKaun Banega Crorepati were donated to her mother's Mercy Home orphanage.[187][188] To raise funds for a new school built by her mother's charity inMadurai, she recordedRhyme Skool (2010), an album of nursery rhymes composed byA. R. Rahman.[189][190][191] Kaif has also donated clothes and personal belongings to raise funds for aprenatal care unit in the Claretian Mercy Home in Madurai.[192]
Kaif has been vocal aboutgender equality,domestic violence andwomen's empowerment.[193] She has emphasised the role of education in the fight against gender inequality andviolence against women.[194] Discussinggender pay gap, she has spoken in favour of more big-budget, female-dominated films in Hindi cinema.[195] In 2010, Kaif was one of several celebrities who created promotional messages for Pearls Wave Trust, which campaigns against violence and abuse of women and girls.[196] She was invited as one of the speakers at the 2016 WeUnite conference, an event organized byUN Women as part of their Orange the World initiative for gender equality and women's empowerment.[197]
Kaif has voiced her support forLGBT rights,[198] and causes associated with cancer and children's education. She visited the Cancer Patients Aid Association to giftcancer survivors and increase public awareness ofbreast andcervical cancer in 2012.[199] The following year, she appeared alongside other celebrities in a commercial, produced by theNational Film Development Corporation of India, to create awareness about children's education.[200] Having been active withBeing Human Foundation to help rehabilitate children living on the streets,[191] Kaif walked the ramp for charity as part of "Being Human" fashion show in 2009 and 2010.[201][202] In 2018, Kaif was named ambassador ofEducate Girls, a non-profit organisation that promotes and supports girls' education in the remotest and educationally challenged parts of India.[187] As part of her role as an ambassador, she visited a remote village inMadhya Pradesh.[187]
In 2019, she launched the #Kare initiatives, a charitable program under her cosmetics' brand Kay Beauty in support of various social causes including employment of rural women.[203][204] In 2007, Kaif joined the efforts of theUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to curbhuman trafficking in India.[205] Kaif visitedsepoys inJammu as part ofNDTV's reality programJai Jawan (2011).[206] She also walked the ramp for designerManish Malhotra and the Sachachari Foundation's annual charity fashion show in 2016.[191] During the COVID-19 pandemic in India in 2020, she donated an undisclosed amount of money toPM CARES Fund and Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund, a relief effort against the outbreak, and funded small businesses of 100 dancers from the Hindi film industry.[207][208]
Media image
Kaif is considered among the most popular and high-profile celebrities in India.[209] Her Bollywood success has sparked an influx of foreign talents hoping to establish themselves in the industry.[1] According to anIndia Today article, despite her dissimilarity to a conventional Bollywood heroine, Kaif "turned every adversity into opportunity and climbed the slippery pole of stardom".[1] Alia Waheed ofThe Guardian wrote that Kaif "fitted the new trend for a more modern image of the Bollywood heroine" through her Western style.[11] As part of a career analysis, Nivedita Mishra ofHindustan Times noted that despite her initial poor command of the Hindi language and an unsuccessful acting debut, Kaif later took on roles in films that highlighted her "charming and jovial" screen presence. Mishra further said Kaif established herself as one of India's highest-paid actresses by accepting her limitations, emphasising strengths as an artist and making smart choices.[210] In response to being stereotyped, Kaif spoke of believing in herself and using it as a motivation to do what she likes.[211]
Kaif at an event in 2018
Despite being a commercially successful film star, Kaif has received mixed reviews for her acting prowess.[212] Writing forFirstpost, Anuya Jakatdar suggested that Kaif should accept challenging parts instead of "coasting on her co-star's box office appeal" and criticised her inclination towards glamorous roles.[213]Khalid Mohamed ofKhaleej Times similarly found her unwillingness to take risks by acting inindependent films a weakness.[214] Asked if she has a dream role, Kaif said she chooses scripts intuitively and does not have a preference for a particular genre.[215] Kaif's dancing ability has received better reviews; she was described as one of Bollywood's best dancers byThe Times of India andThe Indian Express.[216][217] Rachit Gupta hails her "the undisputed Queen of dance numbers in Bollywood".[106] Initially reluctant to dance in films, Kaif has developed a love for dancing and later described it as a joyful and relaxing experience.[216] In 2010, she said she spent several hours a day practising traditional dance.[11]
Kaif is cited in the media as one of India's most beautiful celebrities, and has ranked highly in polls choosing the most attractive Indian celebrities. She was named the "World's Sexiest Woman" byFHM India five times from 2008 to 2013,[218] and appeared onVerve's list of most powerful women in 2009 and 2010.[219] The UK magazineEastern Eye called her the "Sexiest Asian Woman" from 2008 to 2010, and again in 2013.[220] Kaif was namedThe Times of India's "Most Desirable Woman" in 2010, and was later ranked second from 2011 to 2013.[221][222] In 2010 and 2011,Mattel released two sets ofBarbie dolls modelled on Kaif.[223][224] The Indian edition ofPeople described her as "India's Most Beautiful Woman" in 2011 and three years later she toppedMaxim India's "Hot 100" poll.[225][226] A life-size, wax figure of her was installed in London'sMadame Tussauds in March2015, making her the eighth Bollywood actor to have been replicated as a wax statue there.[227] Shikha Talwar ofGQ India commented on Kaif's "enviable physique", which she attributed to her workout routines and healthy diet.[228] Journalists fromThe Hindu andHindustan Times respectively took note of her "trademark elegance and simplistic style" and the "sense of originality and immense grace" in her fashion.[229][230]
In 2019, Kaif launched her cosmetic brand Kay Beauty in partnership with the Indian e-commerce companyNykaa.[231] It included an array of products includinglipsticks,foundations,highlighters,blush compacts.[231] Speaking toCosmopolitan, she said her brand aims to defy society's exclusive beauty standards and promote inclusivity and comfort in one's skin.[232] The brand which was India's first celebrity makeup brand at the time, has been praised for its inclusivity and diversity.[233] Kaif has been considered among the highest paid actresses in India.[234] She is acelebrity spokesperson for a number of brands includingSlice,Nakshatra,Lux,Panasonic,Lakmé andL'Oréal.[18][235]The Economic Times ranked Kaif India's second most prominent endorser in 2012.[236]Hindustan Times reported in 2014 that she received₹50 million (US$570,000) to₹60 million (US$690,000) for each endorsement, making her one of India's highest-paid celebrity endorsers.[237][238] Kaif was included onForbes' list of India's best-known entertainers from 2012 to 2019,[b] peaking at the ninth position in 2013 with an estimated annual income of₹652 million (US$7.5 million).[239] According to a 2021Forbes India estimate, her net worth is₹2 billion (US$23 million).[240] As of 2022, she is one of the most followed Bollywood actresses onInstagram.[241]
Notes
^InBoom,Namastey London andSingh Is Kinng, Kaif's real voice was retained.[61][62]
^Kaif's annual incomes in 2012 and from 2014 to 2019 were estimated at₹638 million (US$7.3 million),₹395 million (US$4.5 million),₹485 million (US$5.6 million),₹335 million (US$3.8 million),₹138 million (US$1.6 million),₹336 million (US$3.8 million) and₹236 million (US$2.7 million), respectively.[239]
^Renuka, Methil (6 May 2002)."She's got the look".India Today.Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved21 September 2013.
^Mukherjee, Madhureeta (16 June 2003)."Katrina booms in Bollywood".The Times of India.Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved3 March 2014.
^Kaul, Vivek (31 July 2009)."Deepika is the new Katrina".Daily News and Analysis.Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved22 September 2013.
^Jha, Subhash K. (4 November 2010)."Katrina gets headstrong!".The Times of India. Archived fromthe original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved24 September 2013.
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