Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif (pronounced [kəˈʈriːnaː ˈkɛːf]; born Katrina Turquotte, also spelt Turcotte; 16 July 1983) is a British Indian film actress and model. She is primarily known for her work in Bollywood films and has appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. In addition to being one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses, Kaif is cited in the media as one of India's most attractive celebrities.

Born in Hong Kong, Kaif and her family lived in numerous countries for varying lengths of time before she migrated to India. Kaif received her first modelling assignment as a teenager, and later pursued a career as a fashion model. During a show in London, filmmaker Kaizad Gustad cast her in his film Boom (2003), a critical and commercial failure. While shooting for the picture in India, Kaif began receiving other assignments. She soon established a successful career as a model, but filmmakers were hesitant to cast her due to her poor grasp of Hindi. After appearing in the successful Telugu film Malliswari (2004), she earned commercial success in Bollywood with the romantic comedies Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005) and Namastey London (2007) and garnered praise for her performance in the latter. She followed with a series of box office hits, but was criticised for her acting, repetitive roles and inclination to male-centric films.

A performance oriented role in the 2009 terrorism drama New York was more well received, earning her praise and a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination. She subsequently featured in more prominent roles in successful films like Raajneeti (2010), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011) and Ek Tha Tiger (2012). She also featured briefly in the action thriller Dhoom 3 (2013), which emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics for her acting prowess, she has established herself as a commercially successful actress of Hindi cinema.

In addition to acting, Kaif is involved with her mother's charity and participates in stage shows. She is known to be particularly guarded about her personal life, which has been the subject of extensive media scrutiny. Kaif's background has also been the topic of much discussion, with various sources accusing her of fabricating her history.

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