Every generation has its share of glamorous stars, and Katrina Kaif is proving to be just that. Less than three years have gone by since her first film Boom was released and already countless teenage girls consider her their idol. For young men she is their beloved pinup girl. The top slot in Bollywood’s pantheon of goddesses may still belong to the likes of Aishwariya Rai and Preity Zinta, but Katrina’s star is rising at a breathtaking pace. How long will it take before she deposes the reigning goddesses? If anything, as a spate new releases rev up Katrina’s career, the top slot becomes fair game for her.

Bollywood’s awareness of Katrina’s potential as a superstar is epitomized by the frantic urgency with which major production houses are making a beeline to her doorstep. The buzz is that Ram Gopal Verma has signed Katrina Kaif to play the mutely grieving widow Radha, in his remake of Bollywood’s timeless classic Sholay. Can you imagine the nubile Katrina as a heartbroken widow? Sounds like a very antithesis of what Katrina is! We all know to what heights of silent poignancy Jaya Bachchan took the part. The million-dollar question is - how will the glamorous Katrina play the part!

Born to a Kashmiri father and English mother, Katrina was one of eight sisters. She grew up in the cool climes of London, but was spared the trauma of cultural shock. She says, “no matter which part of the globe you come from, at the end of the day, every person wants to be loved and cared for.” Her acting career took off when, as a model in London, she met Kaizad Gustad, who promptly offered her a role in Boom. The movie did well at the box office and Katrina’s role came in for much appreciation from the general public, as well as from the more discerning critics.

Her gorgeous face and hourglass figure drew comparisons not only to screen legends like Waheeda Rehman, but also to modern day temptress like Sushmita Sen. But who is she really? What makes Katrina tick? The lady unravels her mind to a certain extent with these words, “I consider myself as a quintessential romantic person, who dreams far too much of romance and love. When you are in love, the person you are involved with should mean everything to you...” Grapevine has it that Salman Khan is the romantic angle in Katrina’s life. But the lady will not confirm or deny. She chooses to remain reticent on her love life.

When quizzed about what she considers her biggest asset, she says, “my lack of fear. I don’t get intimidated easily so there are not too many restrictions on what I can or can’t do.” With potential blockbusters like Namste London, Sholay, Gandhi Park, Apne, Partner, Welcome, etc lined up for her, she certainly has nothing to fear as far as her acting career is concerned. She has what it takes to make it big in Bollywood - looks, intelligence, ambition and the toughness.