Though she made her B-Town debut with Aladin (2009), things only turned around for Jacqueline Fernandez after she was seen in the Salman Khan-starrer Kick (2014). She did three films last year and is awaiting the release of two more in 2016. She has been juggling multiple projects. Is it a risk to do so many films simultaneously? “Doing a lot of projects can backfire as well. You have to give the audience something they will enjoy. They demand a lot nowadays. If you are careless about your projects, you will lose your popularity,” she says.
The actor is often compared to Katrina Kaif, as both of them aren’t from India and because of their closeness to Salman. However, Jacqueline feels that the former aspect is the only commonality between them. “That’s the only similarity. The comparisons aren’t fair, because both of us are different individuals, and people should see things that way,” she says, adding that she looked up to Katrina before she entered Bollywood.
“Over the years, she has achieved a lot. When I had first come here (B-Town), she was as an example. It was like, ‘If Katrina can do it, I can do it too.’ She was and still is an inspiration to a lot of people who have come from outside India,” she says.
Amidst controversy
A song in her recently released film, Dishoom, recently courted controversy, when the Sikh community got offended by the placement of a sword that was mistaken for the kirpan around Jacqueline’s waist in the video. “It was upsetting to learn that the song offended a community. I’m always the first to apologise because the intention is never to hurt anybody. Also, that’s not the kind of publicity we would want for our movie,” she says.
Jaqueline has always maintained that she comes from a simple family and shares a close bond with her parents. Were they worried when she decided to act in Hindi films? “According to any parent, any place outside the home is a big bad world. Bollywood has that kind of an image because the media gives that impression. So, for them, Bollywood is a completely different world,” she says.
COURTESY HINDUSTAN TIMES
