Katrina Kaif plays a role of an actor battling alcoholism in Zero

Katrina Kaif in Zero

Director Aanand L Rai has a knack for extracting moving performances from his artistes. It's not surprising then that in Zero, her first collaboration with the director, Katrina Kaif has taken on a layered role of an actor battling alcoholism.

Considering the part was unfamiliar territory for her, she apparently turned to the personal journeys of Hollywood stars Liza Minnelli, Demi Moore and Lindsay Lohan - all of whom have battled alcohol abuse at different points in their career - for inspiration.

Lindsay Lohan

"It's definitely one of Katrina's toughest roles to date. In order to understand the psyche of a star who resorts to alcoholism, she did extensive research on Hollywood stars who battled similar demons," reveals a source from the film's unit.

Liza Minnelli. Pic/AFP

The trajectories of Minnelli and Lohan served as the perfect blueprint - while the veteran actor had famously said that she "inherited" her drinking problem, presumably alluding to mother Judy Garland, Lohan too struggled with alcoholism after catapulting to superstardom.

"Katrina read up on their stories to bring more gravitas to her role. Demi Moore, for instance, has spoken at length about how she would constantly be having thoughts of self-destruction, regardless of the success that came her way. Katrina also read up on Lohan's stints in the rehab. She also referred to books like Blackout and More, Now, Again that includes stories of people at different stages of addiction and how they kicked the habit." Also featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma, the much-hyped film is eyeing a Christmas release.

Also read: Shah Rukh Khan gets hug from 'thug' Aamir Khan after watching Zero trailer

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