Actress Katrina Kaif, whose “Phantom” has been banned in Pakistan, says such is the subject of their upcoming film that they expected problems in its release in Pakistan.
Jamat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed has filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking a ban on the film’s release in Pakistan, alleging that it contains “filthy propaganda” against his country. “It is logical that Pakistan will have problem with this film. A person is doing wrong and the country is not doing wrong. One of the villains in the film may be from Pakistan but that doesn’t mean Pakistan is a villainous country,” Katrina told PTI in an exclusive interview here.
“He (Kabir) feels the country has suffered and not that the country is bad. There is a lot of conflict and upheaval between the two countries so there will be stories on it.” The actress said despite being a fictional take on the 26/11 terror incident but it has got its facts right. There is a very important track of Pakistan in the film… about someone who is in Pakistan. I think we are not here to preach. We are here to make an amazing story. But it has got its facts and base in right place.” Katrina, 32, said when director Kabir Khan first narrated her the story, she was not sure whether they should go ahead with it. “The moment I heard the story, I told Kabir, ‘Are you sure you want to do this’. But he was passionate about the story… It has an important message and beyond that, it is a fiction film. It is an exciting thriller.”
“Phantom” is about the aftermath of 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and global terrorism. The screenplay of the film has been written in co-ordination with author Hussain Zaidi, and is an adaptation of his book “Mumbai Avengers”.
When the 26/11 terror attacks took place, Katrina was shooting for “Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani” at a suburban studio in Mumbai. “I was shooting for ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’ and we were at film city. The information was slowly coming in. A small thing has happened…then it turned out to be a bigger thing and I spent the next three days in shock. I couldn’t believe it,” Katrina said.
This is the third time Katrina and Kabir have teamed up after “New York” and “Ek Tha Tiger”. So there is a comfort level and trust between the two. “I do trust him and I will be part of his films. I don’t think Kabir will offer me a film that I will have to say no to. He is a very clever, intelligent person. We think alike. We have similar likes and opinions. We are friends,” she said.
In films like “Ek Tha Tiger”, “Dhoom 3” and now “Phantom”, Katrina has been doing action for quite some time and is enjoying it. “When we were shooting the first schedule of “Phantom”, I had already come out of “Dhoom 3”, so I was super fit when I did action sequences, so that part was not hard. As I had worked hard for “Dhoom 3″,” she further said.
In “Phantom”, Katrina will be seen opposite Saif Ali Khan with whom she has worked in “Race”. “When I did the film (Race) with him, he was already into his career… He was established. He has done so many amazing performances. As a person, he has been cultured, gentlemanly, very educated… He is so knowledgeable. He seems more happy now. He is happy in his life… he is in a nice, happy space,” she added.
PTI