Jacqueline’s Bollywood splash!

Sri Lankan beauty queen takes Hindi cinema by storm :

Ruwini Jayawardana

It’s a debut made in heaven. From the ramps, the glitzy catwalks and the commercials this Miss Sri Lanka 2006 for Miss Universe sashayed straight on to the Bollywood sets in Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Aladin’. She’s got looks, talent and oodles of promise that is sure to catapult her to great heights.

“I’ve always wanted to be an actress from my young days. I believe that I have geared up to face the challenge and it comes naturally to me. I have been working on television for some time so I do not develop cold feet in front of the camera,” said Jacqueline Fernandez, brimming with confidence.

Not surprisingly it was her aura of confidence and style which captured the eye of director Ghosh. Sources reveal that he had screen tested nearly a hundred girls before Jacqueline strode into the office. One look at her and Ghosh had decided then and there to have her as his leading lady without even a screen test.

“The movie is very different from the Arabian Night’s fable. It has a great twist to the story although retaining the genie and a magic lamp.

“My character, Jasmine, is an easy-going College girl whom I can very much relate to,” Jacqueline revealed on her debut movie.

She said that the larger than life story, outstanding sets, interesting characters carried off by legendary actors and a mastermind director sets ‘Aladin’ apart from other movies.

The film is also rumored to be the first of its kind in Bollywood with special effects taking being done by the same team who worked on productions like the ‘Harry Potter’ series, ‘Matrix’ and ‘Spiderman’.

Describing her experiences while working with director Ghosh Jacqueline noted that each moment was full of fun and activity on the sets. “He’s a ball of energy and brings life to the sets. He is easy-going, relaxed, knows exactly what he’s doing and how to direct his actors,” she recalled with an enthusiastic smile. It is indeed a dream debut for the model turned actress for she will be starring opposite none other than the Big B of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt along with Riteish Deshmukh.

“Amitabh is my favourite actor internationally. No one comes close to the magic he creates on screen. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Sanjay is an extremely intense and clever actor.

I learnt a lot from his style of acting. Riteish is professional in outlook and a hard worker but more than that a lovely human being who made the experience even more memorable,” she added.

Indeed lots of work had gone into the project for she had taken lessons on acting and speaking Hindi, a hard earned challenge she had overcome with glowing colours because she herself had dubbed her own lines.

“On my first day of shoot with Amitabh at our rehearsal he was so impressed with my Hindi, he clapped!” she exclaimed while reflecting on one of her favourite ‘Aladin’ moments. Even before ‘Aladin’ hit the theatres directors have been casting their eyes on Jacqueline for their projects.

Critics have dubbed her as ‘most exotic import Bollywood had ever had’ and according to the Hindustan Times, Siddharth Anand of Salaam Namaste fame and Tarun Mansukhani, the maker of Dostana, are both considering her for their up coming movies.

“There has been a large influx of foreign girls trying their luck in Bollywood and I am among the many. Both directors have liked my work in ‘Aladin’ and hopefully they are considering me for their projects. Lets wait and see,” noted the sensual beauty who had grown up in Bahrain and holds a degree in Mass Communication from Sydney University, Australia.

Queried on what she thinks on being the first Sri Lankan to make it big in Bollywood, she said that it is indeed a great pride to be able to embellish the mark of her motherland in Indian cinema.

“Hopefully we have paved way for more inspiring actors hoping to make it to international cinema. Whether I would take to acting as a profession depends on the fate of my movies and how the audience takes to me. Being independent and accomplished was imperative to me and I always demanded the best of myself. Perfectionism is my strongest asset,” she concluded.

‘Aladin’ is set to hit the floors in India on October 30. Jacqueline had also completed shooting for Nikhil Advani’s Jaana Kahan Se Aayi Hain (Where did she come from?). She is all set to begin work on her third movie with John Abraham next month.

Well that’s going places for you!