Katrina Kaif replaces Rani as Aditya Chopra's favourite

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Everyone knows that in Bollywood, it is the heroes who call the shots. The leading ladies are just incidental to the plot.

So when one of B-Town's most powerful production houses signs an actress for three big projects, it is definitely time for the competition to sit up and take notice. Not only is Katrina Kaif doing three films for Aditya Chopra's home production, she has been paired opposite the top three Khans.

While Kareena Kapoor has already worked with Salman, Aamir and Shah Rukh, they were all projects with different production houses. Clearly, Chopra's production house has never put so much faith in one actress. In fact, they've rarely repeated their leading ladies (barring Rani Mukerji), and often work with the No 1 actress of the time before moving on to the next big star. Rekha acted in Silsila (1981), Juhi in Darr (1993), and Madhuri Dixit in Dil Toh Pagal Hai (1997).

Interestingly, Kat has already worked with the banner twice - in New York (2009) and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011). Although she has worked with Salman in many films; come 2012, she begins Dhoom 3 with Aamir and an untitled film with Shah Rukh for the first time. The trade is abuzz with the news of how the actress, who has hit it off with Adi, has replaced Rani as the new favourite of the banner.

Katrina makes light of the fact that next year she will have three releases with the Khan triumvirate. "I am just grateful to be working with such big directors and stars. I believe that the success of a film is in the hands of destiny. I look at it as a job where I have to give the best that I can. I have always learned something from every actor I have worked with, so I hope to learn from Shah Rukh and Aamir too."

Trade analyst Vikas Mohan rubbishes whispers of Katrina's friendship with Adi Chopra behind her three-film lottery, saying, "Kat was seen as the reason behind Mere Brother Ki Dulhan's success. She was the calling card of the film. Promotional strategies were planned around her and she pulled it off. She cemented her position in the industry, that's why she is the only actress who has signed three films with Aditya." The amount of money the banner has riding on her is mind-boggling. Adds Mohan, "On paper, all three films have approximately 200 crore riding on them."

A spokesperson for the production house says, "The decision to have Katrina in three films was made on the basis of only one parameter - the script - followed by the director's vision. Katrina was always the director's first choice for two of those three films."

Another trade analyst Vajir Singh adds, "She was known as a non-actress, but with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara, Rajneeti and New York, Kat proved she can act. For Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, she went all out to promote it like a hero."

We wonder what Rani has to say about all this, eh?