Zoya didn`t know Katrina at all

Mumbai: Director Zoya Akhtar, who is looking forward to her next release `Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara`, had a tough time hunting for someone to essay the character played by Katrina Kaif in the film as she did not know the actress well, till she cast her.

`Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara`, is story of three friends - Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol, who hit the dirt on a road trip that changes their lives forever. "We had auditioned a lot of women before roping in Katrina. We needed a half Indian and half Caucatian girl, who would be willing to ride a bike, scuba dive and is physically fit. I tested a lot of people from New York and London but nothing really interested me," Zoya said. "Also, I did not know Katrina at all...till I met her at a party. It was only at that time I realised what am I doing. She is the one I was looking for," she said. In the film, the female roles are played by Kalki Koechlin and Katrina Kaif. Talking about other actors in the film, Zoya said, "Hrithik Roshan is one of my favourite actors and he was a part of my first film `Luck By Chance` as well. Even if I was making a one crore film I would have approached Hrithik whether he does it or not I don`t know. As far as Kalki is concerned she is a very interesting actress and edgy. Farhan and Abhay are really intelligent actors. So who wouldn`t love to work with such talented lot of actors." When asked the film is touted as guys flick, so does such movies have scope for women, to which the Zoya, daughter of noted lyricist Javed Akhtar, said, "Of course they do. You take example of films like `Rang De Basanti`, `Dil Chahta Hai`, `Rock On` women did have very pertinent parts in these films. I don`t write bad characters for women." The director also clarified that the movie is not an extension of `Dil Chahta Hai`. "It is not an extension of `Dil Chahta Hai`...if it would have been then it would have called `Dil Chata Hai 2`. It is another film altogether," she said without divulging details. The film produced by Excel Entertainment releases on July 15. PTI