DYK Katrina Kaif’s FIRST Ever Co-Star Was Tamil Nadu CM Vijay in an Ad Commercial?
Before finding massive fame in Bollywood, Katrina Kaif’s first-ever professional on-screen pairing in India was with a superstar who would later become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The two shared the screen in a popular television commercial filmed well before Kaif made her official cinematic debut.
Before establishing herself as one of Bollywood’s most successful actors, Katrina Kaif began her showbiz journey in the advertising industry. In a notable trivia connection from her early career, Kaif’s very first on-screen co-star was Joseph Vijay, who currently serves as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The two shared screen space in a television commercial filmed before Kaif made her official debut in Indian cinema. Katrina Kaif Birthday: Top 5 Performances of Bollywood Actress and Where To Watch Them Online.
The Early Collaboration Between Katrina Kaif and CM Vijay
The connection between the Bollywood star and the actor-turned-politician dates back to the early 2000s. At the time, Kaif was a newcomer navigating the Indian modelling circuit, while Vijay was already an established superstar in Tamil cinema.
The duo was cast together in a prominent television advertisement for a popular soft drink brand. This early commercial marked Kaif’s first professional experience on a filming set in India, long before pan-India cinematic collaborations became a standard industry trend.
When Katrina Kaif and Thalapathy Vijay Joined Hands for a Soft Drink Ad
Kaif Recalls Her ‘Clumsiest Ballerina’ Experience
In an interview with Mashable India, Kaif shared details about her initial days in Mumbai and her experience shooting the commercial. She described the competitive nature of the industry at the time, noting that she would manually list advertising agencies, take taxis to their offices, and audition for various campaigns.
Reflecting specifically on her first assignment alongside Vijay, Kaif revealed that the script required her to portray a ballet dancer—a task she found challenging due to her lack of formal training at the time.
"The first ad that I did was with Vijay sir," Kaif stated. "It was an ad for a soft drink and I was playing a ballerina and I could not dance to save my life. A friend who later saw the ad told me, 'You were the world's clumsiest ballerina in that ad.'"
Watch Katrina Kaif's Full Interview:
From Commercials to a Challenging Cinematic Debut
Following her stint in television commercials, Kaif transitioned to feature films. She made her official acting debut in the 2003 ensemble film Boom, directed by Kaizad Gustad. The film faced critical and commercial failure upon release, presenting an initial setback to her career. ‘Jana Nayagan’ Finally Locks Release Date, Thalapathy Vijay Unveils New Poster.
Despite the difficult start, Kaif subsequently found mainstream success in Bollywood through breakthrough roles in comedies and romantic dramas like Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? and Namastey London. Over the next two decades, she established herself as a leading box-office draw, headlining major action franchises and commercial hits.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 16, 2026 02:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).