Behind the Scenes: How SRK Swayed Katrina Kaif from Coveting Anushka Sharma’s ‘Zero’ Role!

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Despite Aanand L Rai having someone else in mind for Afiya (potentially Anushka Sharma), Katrina decided to audition for the part. She went home, recorded an audition tape on her iPhone, and showed it to Aanand L Rai. ‘It really moved him. That gave me hope, and we kept circling on it for days,’ Katrina recalled

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Katrina Kaif, who celebrated 20 years in the film industry last year, has become one of its top actresses despite initial challenges with language (Hindi). Among her many memorable performances, her role in ‘Zero’ (2018) stands out. The film, directed by Aanand L Rai, starred Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma in the lead roles, with Katrina playing the role of actress Babita Kumari.

In an old interview with Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day, Katrina shared some interesting behind-the-scenes details about her involvement in the film.

Initially, ‘Zero’ was titled ‘Katrina Meri Jaan,’ and Katrina was supposed to play a double role. However, the script changed over time. Katrina revealed that she was particularly drawn to the character of Afiya, who suffers from cerebral palsy. She said, ‘When Anand Sir was narrating this new script, my ears and eyes kept perking up to the other female role [Afiya].’

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Despite Aanand L Rai having someone else in mind for Afiya (potentially Anushka Sharma), Katrina decided to audition for the part. She went home, recorded an audition tape on her iPhone, and showed it to Aanand L Rai. ‘It really moved him. That gave me hope, and we kept circling on it for days,’ Katrina recalled.
Although she was offered the role of Babita, Katrina remained fixated on playing Afiya. ‘I was so attached to the part [eventually played by Anushka Sharma] that I couldn’t even care if there was anything good in what was being offered to me,’ she explained.

It was Shah Rukh Khan who eventually convinced her to take on the role of Babita. He advised her to trust him and go for it, reminding her not to get too emotionally attached to the other role. Following his advice, Katrina accepted the part of Babita.

This decision turned out to be a great one, as her performance in ‘Zero’ was highly praised by audiences. Katrina Kaif reflected on her role, saying, ‘It’s one of the best roles I’ve ever done.’

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