That’s the Kashmiri in you...
Yes. Living in Bombay we have become dependent on other people to do our day-to-day work. We get out of the habit of cooking, making our own beds, cleaning utensils. Most foreigners, who come here, find it odd.

Do you consider yourself a foreigner or an Indian?
I am hundred per cent Indian. When I was growing up, I always felt a very strong awareness that I am an Asian. I don’t know whether that’s politically correct or not, but I always felt that I am different and growing up in a country that’s not Asian.

It’s almost an Asian country now.
Now it is. But that sense of belonging was always missing when I was growing up. When I came to India, I felt an instant sense of belonging. My uncle was here, I had a bit of family in Bangalore. My uncle was a civil engineer constructing water systems for the city. I came here with my older sister and she said, “Katrina, this is not for me and I love our house in London and want to go back.” I said I am going to stay here; this is where I want to be. Now, there is no other place that I would ever consider home.
When I came here, I had only Rs 4 lakh. I told myself that if I can make it with this money, I will stay here. If not, I will go back to London and rejoin college. I was only 17 at that time and was modelling. I bought a small apartment near a cemetery. I fear living alone and fear darkness, so I would stay up all night and wait for the sun to come up and then go to bed at five o’clock in the morning and sleep for five hours.
I did my first photo shoot with a photographer called Farooq. I got very good feedback. I took my portfolio and went from one agency to another. I would go there and say, can I meet your casting director. I showed them my pictures. The casting agents started calling me.

... contd.