Katrina Kaif has come a long way in Bollywood thanks to a certain gentleman called Salman Khan. While the bhai of Bollywood has launched many new faces into filmi duniya, Kat surely had an upper hand after dating the superstar. But looks Ms Kaif isn't happy being called Sallu's 'protégé'. She firmly believes that where she is now -- almost at the top of the B-town lady ladder -- is all to her own credit. Why do we say so? The Jab Tak Hain Jaan girl now claims that she was signed on before any other actor by Kabir Khan for Ek Tha Tiger (ETT). Is Kat trying to prove a point here? Is she saying that she doesn't need a Salman to get a great film? Has she made a strong place for herself in Bollywood already -- does she really think so? If that's actually the case, then wethinks she is being very silly.

We say so coz when Bollywoodlife had caught up with the Being Human actor not too long ago, he clearly said that it was Kat who recommended him for ETT. And we know his sense of humour and his strongly sarcastic streak. So it doesn't make sense for Katrina to say all these things at all, hai na? But now that she has, let's look at it from our special angle -- if this half-firang half-desi kudi was roped in before anybody else for the high-action film, then she could have easily asked to bring on board any other actor but Salman. Any which ways the Kat-Salman prem kahaani had ended by then and the two wouldn't have minded some space between them. Still, Ranbir Kapoor's special friend wanted Salman in the film. Why?

Well, Ms K may have long way to go as far as acting is concerned, but she already knows all the right moves. She is quite a player. Salman was the only actor who had back-to-back blockbuster films -- Dabangg, Ready and Bodyguard -- at the time, and a market value that has yet to be surpassed. With such terrific box office record as temptation, anybody would want to work opposite the superstar, right? That's what Katrina did -- no Shahrukh Khan, Akshay Kumar or Ranbir Kapoor for our gal, she directly went for the Rs 100 crore king. Smart move, lady!