Back in 2009, Katrina Kaif walked the runway at Lakme Fashion Week for the Barbie All Doll'd Up show to celebrate Barbie's 50th birthday.
Katrina Kaif had an unsuccessful debut in Bollywood (with the 2003 film 'Boom'), both critically and commercially. Whether it's because of her Western style and persona, or her poor command of Hindi, she had to deal with loads of struggles to get roles and establish herself in the industry. However, with determination and hard work, she turned her weakness into her strength and went on to become a leading star. As critic Alia Waheed wrote in an article, she "fitted the new trend for a more modern image of the Bollywood heroine through her Western-style". With fiilms like 'Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?', 'New York', 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani', 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara', 'Ek Tha Tiger', and 'Bang Bang!' to her name, she stands tall as a force to be reckoned with!
What sets Kaif apart from many others is she has consistently improved as a performer over the years. In her latest release, 'Merry Christmas', she delivered a remarkably nuanced performance, leaving one and all in awe. And on the other hand, she is an exceptional dancer with several iconic dance numbers to her credit.
"... one of the most convincing screen performances of her career, portraying confusion and vulnerability cloaked in occasional flashes of steely determination," wrote critic Saibal Chatterjee about Kaif's performance in 'Merry Christmas'.
Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in a still from 'Merry Christmas'
The celebrated actress turns 41 today. On this occasion, we share an interesting fact about her that you probably didn't know.
Back in 2009, Katrina Kaif walked the runway at the Lakme Fashion Week for the 'Barbie All Doll'd Up' Show to celebrate the doll's 50th birthday. And as recognition for that, the toy-making company Mattel India presented her with a 'Katrina Kaif Barbie Doll'. The doll was dressed in the same design as her attire for the ramp.
Thus, Kaif became the first Indian actress to have a Barbie doll modeled on her. And she joined the ranks of several renowned names such as Shakira, Marilyn Monroe, Heidi Klum, and Audrey Hepburn among others.
In one of her later interviews, Kaif spoke about the honor, saying, "I would call it a fun honor. To have your face on dolls that you've played with from childhood is quite flattering. We've been in negotiation for nearly six months. It finally came together for the 50-year celebration of Barbie."
"Contrary to what people believe my Barbie is not an Indian counterpart of the international brand. It's an honor because I'm the first Indian to be the face of Barbie. I'll be dressed the way the Barbie is all over the world. And I think in many ways it's an endorsement of how kids connect with me. You can't be the face of an international doll unless kids like you. I like that. The thought that kids like me enough to make me a part of their doll collection is very gratifying."
She added, "It is quite something if you think about it. But I'd rather not. I don't want my head to get swollen. For me, it's enough that I was chosen because I reflect a certain bubbly wholesome personality, quite contrary to the 'sexy' tag that I get in net polls and which I'm not very comfortable with."
Happy Birthday, Katrina. Best Wishes For All Your Upcoming Endeavors!
