Katrina Turquotte, later known as Katrina Kaif, was born in Hong Kong to a Kashmiri father, Mohammed Kaif, and an English mother, Suzanne Turquotte. Her father was of British Indian descent, and her mother is a lawyer and charity worker.

Katrina spent her childhood living in various countries, including China, Japan, France, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, and Hawaii. This nomadic upbringing was due to her mother's work and humanitarian efforts.

Katrina began her modeling career at the age of 14 in Hawaii. She received her first modeling assignment for a jewelry brand.

After Hawaii, Katrina moved to London and continued her modeling career, working with various agencies and participating in fashion shows.

Katrina moved to India to pursue a career in Bollywood, attracted by the opportunities in the Hindi film industry.