Mumbai: When director Kabir Khan narrated the plot of his upcoming film Phantom to Katrina Kaif, the actress' immediate concern was whether it would be safe to make the movie.
Phantom, which is an action-thriller based on the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has been banned in Pakistan much before its release due to its controversial subject.
"Kabir's experience as a documentary filmmaker and working in conflict zones, travelling to different areas like Pakistan and Afghanistan, enables him to come up with a perfect setting. Whether it was 9/11 in New York or the strained Indo-Pak relation in Ek Tha Tiger. To do that you need to be well informed, which he is because of his experience. So when he told me about the film, I immediately asked him 'Are you sure it is safe to make the film?' He said yes, and then explained more about the film," Katrina told PTI.
The 32-year-old actress also said that Kabir makes films based on relevant topics.
"He likes to give his films a certain grounding and likes to see them as 'Why not'. When you have such relevant topics in the world today, and which are so dramatic, why would you not use it as a backdrop for your film," added Katrina.
Phantom is based on Hussain Zaidi's novel Mumbai Avengers, and features Saif Ali Khan apart from Katrina. The Bang Bang! actress, however, said that the film will be slightly different from the book.
"In the book there are five main characters, but in the movie we kind of combined them into two. That's the primary difference. This way, it is easier to follow. Otherwise there would have been chances of losing track," said Katrina.
"The film is based on facts but the screenplay and the outcome is fictional. The film says 'A story you wish were true' but after you see the film, audience will say this is a story which could be true. Had there been any loopholes in the script or things were too convenient, it wouldn't have interested me," she added.
Phantom, which is jointly produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Siddharth Roy Kapur, is scheduled to release on August 28.
