Life's A Beach: Jacqueline Fernandez

Cut out the gloss and Jacqueline Fernandez is all grit.Ambition, passion, single motherhood the Sri Lankan beauty gets crackling in a chat with Ashwini Deshmukh

- Ashwini Deshmukh & Photograph:Rohan Shrestha

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She’s enjoying a purple patch in her career. But she’s definitely not content with what’s come her way. Any other actress would’ve painted the town red with names like  A Flying Jatt, Dishoom and Housefull 3, but not Jacqueline Fernandez. She’s vying for more than just commercial attention. The actor, who has dug her heels in showbiz turf, craves critical acclaim. And she’s candid enough to state that her roles are candy floss for now. She has a lot more on her mind and views herself as a work in progress. She wants to work for posterity. She wants to be remembered as an actress and not just a pretty face. That’s Jackie’s mojo, she’s not afraid of being self-critical and she’s positive in equal measure. Her outspokenness extends to her personal life as well. She doesn’t flinch at the pointed questions about Arjun Kapoor. Instead, she reveals inside details about her conversations with the actor. Not just that, Jackie even spills the beans on industry truths sharing her own experiences, surprising you with every revelation. That her candour is sexy can hardly be  disputed…

Can this be said to be your best phase as an actor?

Not yet. I’m grateful for being able to work with good filmmakers. But I haven’t reached where I want to. I’ve not yet done a role for which I could be remembered. Once you turn into a seasoned actor, you may be offered the role that changes your life. I’m waiting for that. I consider myself fairly new. I haven’t done too many films. The ones I did had small roles. People have been hesitant to give me challenging roles because of the Hindi barrier. But I guess, if you’re persistent there will be someone who’ll take notice.