IANS
 
Mumbai, Dec 20 (mb): Actress Katrina Kaif has had a blast doing comedy films but now thinks it is time to move on. Having got herself what she calls "a body of hits", Katrina is now looking for more meat in her roles.

"Enough is enough, otherwise audiences would start to believe that being a prop in comedy films is all I can do. I need to progress from playing the sweet simple girl in comedy films," said Katrina.

Though she isn't complaining,she does protest about the lack of space for women in our comedies. "I've done a series of them. Even Namaste London was comic, though it offered me a brilliant role."

"But I got a shock when I saw how much of me was there. More often than not the girl just hangs around in our comedies. I've done that repeatedly from my first film Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya.It does get a bit boring."

"At the same time I'm aware nobody gets a series of women-oriented roles in this industry except maybe Rani. It took her so long to get there," she said.

Ask her if Welcome and Singh Is King (both with Akshay Kumar) were her last two comedies and the diplomat in Katrina surfaces.

"I wouldn't like to say anything so definite. As for Welcome, I'm quite kicked by it. I believe Raj Kapoor used to watch his films with the soundtrack turned off to see which scenes didn't work. I remember this one time in Dubai when I was really bored. I watched the rushes of Welcome with the sound turned off. And let me tell you even without the sound Welcome is so funny.

"This film is going to have the audiences hysterical with laughter. More than anything else, Anees is a fantastic writer. I laughed at his scenes even while reading it."

Hard to believe, but Welcome was one of the first films that Katrina signed.

"Yes, it has been in the making for a long time. Maybe the costumes and hairstyle do look a little out of touch. But, hey, it's a comedy. It's all right. They aren't going to watch the film for authenticity."

Branded a hit actress, especially with Akshay Kumar, Katrina must be burdened with the thought of making Welcome work.

"Not really. There have been actors who've lasted for years despite delivering flop after flop. Of course, I want all my films to work. But the actual outcome depends on destiny.

"I've got Abbas-Mustan's Race in January 2008. Abbas and Mustan are sweethearts. One small portion that got left behind because of rains in Goa remains to be shot.

"I'm also working in a Yash Raj film (with Ranbir Kapoor). Now I'm looking at projects that will take me further from where I am. I'm working with Raj Kumar Santoshi. Things aren't finalised. But he has shown me two scripts, and one of them is a masterpiece. I hope that works out."

Katrina now has more options to choose from.

"I'm looking at roles that don't necessarily push the envelope too far. Something like Jab We Met would be fine. At one time,director Imtiaz Ali was supposed to do a film with me and Akshay. But that didn't work out.

"Then I was supposed to do Rock Star with Imtiaz. That too didn't materialise. Such things happen. I'd love to work with Imtiaz though."

Katrina has really worked hard to achieve what she has. But what does she think of the media-hype that the newcomers get nowadays?

"If you see the new actresses in recent films like Om Shanti Om and Saawariya, they've come in accompanied by a lot of hype. Every actor has a different career path. Some come in quietly like I did. Others come in with a lot of hype. That wasn't the case with me. And I'm very happy with that."