Katrina Kaif on the Cover of People Magazine

Five years ago, a teenager landed in Mumbai to make a career in showbiz. Today, Katrina Kaif has becoming one of the most successful actresses in the film industry. In its latest issue, People magazine got up close and personal with the beautiful actress to know more. We present an excerpt: It was five years ago that Katrina Kaif, then 19, arrived in Mumbai to make a career in the modelling industry. Accompanying her were mother Susana and sisters Christine and Isabella. She did not celebrate her birthday that year. This year as she turned 24 on July 16, almost the entire film industry A-list descended at Olive Bar & Kitchen, a Mumbai restaurant and bar, to wish the model-turned-actress. "I was all alone on my first birthday in Mumbai. I hardly stepped out of my house, as I didn't know anyone then," says the actress. This year it was celebrated, according to a guest, with flavoured Martinis, an assortment of mocktails, lamb chop, balsamic mushroom, grilled prawns and rock salt fish doing the rounds. Katrina had over 70 people including stars, star wives, star kids, filmmakers, producers, designers and choreographers attending her private bash. Not surprisingly Katrina says it is only this year that she feels a sense of belonging to the industry. That she speaks Hindi and has a string of box-office hits can only add to her being at home. "I know so many people now. I'm a part of the circuit and also part of discussions for movies that are being planned. I'm aware of what's happening around," she says. A large part of the credit in making Katrina feel comfortable in the film fraternity goes to beau Salman Khan, who is dating the model-turned-actress for a little over four years now. Katrina describes herself as the submissive one in the intense relationship. "I think by nature I'm slightly more submissive. Cancerians are docile people," she says. Salman and his extended family supported her during the formative years of her career. "I do remember the first time I had met Salman but these are personal things," says the actress who spends considerable time at Galaxy Apartments, Salman's Bandra residence, whenever she is in Mumbai. It was former supermodel and choreographer Alison Kanuga, who got Katrina introduced to Salman at his sister Alvira's birthday party at Salman's apartment. "She met Salman for the very first time at Alvira's birthday party. Since Katrina and I were already friends I asked her to come along with me to the party," says Alison, who met Katrina at a film screening in Mumbai. Salman, who was then distraught after parting ways with Aishwarya Rai, took an instant liking to her and the duo ended up spending the entire evening together. That chance meeting led to another and in a matter of few days Salman was wooing Katrina. Soon they were in a serious relationship. Whenever she got off work early, Katrina rushed to meet her boyfriend at film studios and his apartment. They started hanging out at coffee shops in Bandra, and going for long walks with Salman's pet dogs Myson and Myjaan along the Bandstand promenade. But what she enjoyed the most was taking bike rides with her boyfriend in the wee hours of the morning. As their love became stronger, Salman started supervising her, while she was readying to move from modelling to films. "By then she was already a popular name in the modelling circuit. She thought that making a progression to films will be a good idea," says an industry insider. It was only under Salman's guidance that she clinched a big role opposite him in brother Sohail Khan's production, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya in 2005. The film made good business at the box office and her chemistry with Salman prompted other filmmakers to woo her with film scripts. Director David Dhawan, who was looking for a fresh face for MPKK, signed her on instantly once he met her. He says, "Yes, I met her through Salman. She had a fresh face and she suited the role. [Also] She has a great memory. Even though she wasn't well versed in the language, she used to mug her lines very well." Filmmaker and president of AMPTPP (Association of Motion Pictures and TV Program Producers), Pahlaj Nihalani, who met Katrina when she was running from pillar to post to get her visa extended, attributes UK-citizen Katrina's stupendous success to Salman Khan and his family. He says, "Because of Salman she got to work with the right people and in the right manner... I will give full credit to Salman and his family for providing her with shelter, professional advice and guidance." With her family away in London, she started confiding in and socialising with Salman's family members. "They are a part of the social circle that I move in. They are tremendously wonderful people," says Katrina, who is particularly fond of her beau's siblings Alvira Khan Agnihotri and Sohail Khan.

It looks like hot babe Katrina Kaif has lost her cool on the unwanted rumours created by some part of the media and has decided to rebuff. Recently it was reported that Akshay Kumar, while seated at the IIFA awards with his wife Twinkle, ignored Katrina’s calls. It was also said that Twinkle and Katrina share cold vibes and looked through each other at Vipul Shah's party thrown for his wife Shefali last month. Katrina, listening to all, fumes, “People need to stop imagining so much. This is pure imagination on someone's part. Akshay Kumar came in for the show in the night and left right after as he had a flight to catch. I had dinner with Twinkle and some of her friends after that and even my mom was with me. So what's with these stories?” It’s thus proved that media was throwing imaginative bricks at the otherwise cool Kat. But it’s said that everything, said or drawn, has to have some base. Even imagination must have some stage to stand on. What should we think then? And if, throwing an if, the whole picture is baselessly imaginative then what’s the need of becoming so hot? Especially when people know Kat is really hot. Maybe the temperature is required to make some Akki dish! Who can say if something is cooking at the backdoor? Hun, you naughty hot Kat?

Is Katrina Kaif trying an Akki fry

I m not sexy Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif has been voted the India's Sexiest Woman yet again but this is one honour lovely lass is not ready to accept. She says, "I would rather be thought of as pretty rather than sexy." Kat is also not bothered by men downloading pictures of her from the internet, she is not entirely comfortable with her racy image. What’s puzzling is that the lady has been covered up in most of her films and yet has been sparking men’s imagination more than those who’ve been stripping down. "It feels good to be voted by fans and that too in such huge numbers, but I don't think if you wear a bikini or show skin, you look sexy," she said. The fact that she is the most searched actress on the internet tells how popular she is. Urban men like her looks - a perfect merger of International and Indian looks. Her fans keep downloading her photos on internet in huge scale but she is not in the mood to think about it. And who do Katrina think is the sexiest and hottest man in Bollywood? She would surely make a good diplomat if we are to go by her answer to the question. "Only if I’m in love with a man, I find him hot," she said. However, the actress revealed that she finds Neil Nitin Mukesh "the cutest".