Nora Fatehi says people wondered if she wanted to be ‘next Katrina Kaif’

Nora Fatehi has said that during her initial days in Mumbai, she’d often lock herself in her room and work on her accent. She added that people would often ask her if she ‘wanted to be next Katrina Kaif’. (Also read: Nora Fatehi makes Rema groove to Dance Meri Rani)

Nora recently appeared on stage during an awards event and was widely appreciated for her performance.

Nora’s prep for Indian showbiz

Speaking to BBC Asian, Nora said, “Whatever opportunities I have got have been very last minute and thankfully I was prepared. I remember staying locked up in my room and watching stuff on TV, working on my Hindi. I wouldn’t party or make boyfriends like the other girls. I realised in my second month in India I needed to tone down her Canadian accent, tone down my body language and work on my Hindi. I missed out on my brother’s wedding, his birthday, everything. So many people were like, ‘Do you want to be like the next Katrina Kaif’?”

“I knew I had to be prepared for whatever opportunity that came my way. Most of the projects I got, was very last minute. I would work on my Hindi and such so that I was completely prepared for any opportunity coming my way. I knew I could only get one opportunity and if that did not work, I’d be (out of the game).”

Nora on learning Hindi

Asked if she felt weird having to let go of her identity and mould herself into Indian aesthetics for Bollywood, Nora said that there was nothing wrong if she “assimilated with the culture and people” of the place where she is working. She added that even as a child, she’d tone down her “Toronto-ness” when she went to Morocco for her summer vacations.

Nora has featured in special dance songs in popular films, ever since she first started working in Hindi films. She worked in songs such as Manhari (Bahubali The Conclusion), Ittage Recchipodham, and (Puri Jagannadh’s film Temper), among many others. She also featured in the remake of Sushmita Sen’s famous Dilbar song.