High stakes for Katrina Kaif with Baar Baar Dekho, but her hard work isn't going unnoticed

Before you read on, I implore you to go watch Katrina Kaif from her Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya days. Once you’re done with that, go watch the video of  Nachne De Saare from the upcoming film Baar Baar Dekho. These 8-odd minutes of back-to-back videos, separated by over a decade, should give you an idea of how far Katrina Kaif has come. First, a disclaimer. I’ve never really liked Katrina Kaif. [caption id=“attachment_2938856” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Katrina Kaif in ‘Baar Baar Dekho’.[/caption] Sure she dances well, and she’s always pleasant in interviews, but the only film where I thought she stood out was Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (major credit goes to Zoya Akhtar). Apart from that, she always seemed to be just another actor trying to make it big by doing stereotypical roles. When was the last time you remembered a film because Katrina Kaif was in it? The fact that most of her big hits saw her being the typical damsel in distress while the macho hero wins her heart/saves the day (depending on the plot) bothered me. Here’s a girl who made her Bollywood debut at the age of 18 with a film that not too many remember (Boom), and since then people recognise Katrina Kaif more for her personal life (first Salman Khan, then Ranbir Kapoor) than for her body of work. And she’s been around for a long time now. No matter how many times Kaif would say in interviews that she does not want to discuss her relationships, all people cared about was just that. If I were in her place, it would give me ammunition to better, more meaty roles. Yet, year after year, she would pick films like in Bang Bang, Dhoom 3, Ek Tha Tiger and so on, where she had to primarily be the pretty face.While there’s nothing wrong with doing a commercial role once in a while, I’d begun to think she couldn’t do anything else. [caption id=“attachment_2243840” align=“alignright” width=“380”]  Katrina walks the red carpet at Cannes. AP[/caption] And then came Fitoor, a film which, for all practical purposes, rested solely on Katrina Kaif’s shoulders. She was the biggest star, so the speak, in the cast of the film that comprised Aditya Roy Kapur and the talented Tabu. I can’t say I was completely surprised that Fitoor didn’t work at the box office, but that also meant two back-to-back flops for Katrina (including Phantom, where the most popular thing was her song ‘Afghan Jalebi’). To have all of this happen alongside the biggest break up of the year (with Ranbir Kapoor), while still shooting a film (Jagga Jasoos) with her ex — could not have been easy for Kaif. She had my sympathies. Especially when Twitter trolls started to call her a panauti and were holding her responsible for Ranbir’s failures (isn’t that the most archaic thing you have ever heard?). This brings us to a present day reality: With Baar Baar Dekho, the stakes are very high for Katrina Kaif. [caption id=“attachment_1808607” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Katrina Kaif and Karan Johar. Courtesy: IBN Live[/caption] It’s a Dharma film for one, and we all know what happens if you’re in Karan Johar’s production and it flops (ask Imran Khan, he will elucidate). If Baar Baar Dekho fails at the box office, it could be pack-up time for her. Since she doesn’t hail from a film family, it would be that much more difficult to bounce back. This would probably explain why Katrina Kaif seems to be trying so hard. She’s always been a hard worker, and I know that courtesy interviews of filmmakers she has worked with. But there’s a side to her, which can specifically be seen in Baar Baar Dekho, which I have never seen before. It’s like she’s living with the ultimatum in her head: all or nothing. This film is do or die for Katrina, and she knows it. In a recent interview with Rajeev Masand, Katrina spoke about her relationship with Ranbir Kapoor, without really naming anyone, and she sounded like just another girl, albeit a thorough professional, dealing with heartbreak. This is what she said: If I was in an office, or If I had a normal job, I would have to go to work and do my job. Every person feels the same whether you’re the president or a normal person. Your emotions are still the same. Upon being asked how it was to work on Jagga Jasoos with all that drama, her response was dignified, not in a snobbish way. Her answers were a masterclass in how to be civil, professional and controlled in the face of an emotional shit storm. It [working with an ex] forces you to step up, and it forces you not to indulge in self-pity, and feeling sorry for yourself. It forces you to stand up quicker and get yourself together, because you want to show your best face to the world. She’s opened up to the media a lot more now (she threw a huge party for mediapersons on her birthday), does a lot more interviews, was a part of the coveted Dream Team tour, and is making friends with the right people. This is not desperation. This is what people do when their careers are at stake. This is what normal people (who are not born with a silver spoon in their mouth) have to do to ensure longevity. If you notice the trailer and the songs of Baar Baar Dekho, it seems like Katrina has finally let her guard down. There a lot more closeups of her in the film, her tears seem real, she dances now like no one is watching, as opposed to mechanically following steps (Chikni Chameli, for reference). Even the biggest haters cannot deny her palpable shift in attitude. This is a similar graph to Deepika Padukone, who had the same issue of wooden acting and a withdrawn, stiff persona before she finally let it all go and started to play different roles in films like Chennai Express and Finding Fanny. If we were to draw a parallel, the biggest win of Baar Baar Dekho, is that Katrina Kaif seems to have finally let go, too.   And it’s about time. Baar Baar Dekho could be her last chance, or maybe it could be her ticket to a better phase in her career. Either way, Kaif’s hard work, dedication and unabashed spirit of powering through the hardest times is not going unnoticed. Even (and especially) among those who may not be her biggest fans. I’m tempted to say, ‘You go girl!’ — what do you know, Katrina Kaif has managed to find a new admirer.