FOR SRI LANKAN beauty Jacqueline Fernandez, moving to India to have a career in Bollywood was a challenge.
The 30-year-old actress, who made her debut with Aladin opposite Riteish Deshmukh and Amitabh Bachchan, said the Hindi film industry has always been supportive of her.
‘Moving to India was challenging, being a foreigner. I don’t have any family here. I didn’t have anyone to guide me. But I never felt for a second that I am not welcome here. The industry has been very good to me. I am glad that destiny brought me here,’ she said.
The Kick actress came to India for the first time on a modelling assignment and she got the offer to star in the Sujoy Ghosh-directed 2009 fantasy drama Aladin.
Jacqueline credited the modelling industry with helping her understand Bollywood well.
‘The modelling industry was a good training ground. It is a medium that is about shedding your inhibitions, knowing your body, confidence and these are also the few characteristics which an actor requires. It definitely was a good starting point,’ she said.
Known for her glamorous avatar, Jacqueline is seen playing a mother in the recently released Brothers.
‘Brothers is the first of its kind. I am taking on a different role compared to the parts I played before in my career. I am taking on the role of a mother, who is going through a certain crisis of her own. This is a very big turning point for me in terms of acting.’
Asked if she had any inhibitions about playing a mother at such an early stage of her career, Jacqueline said, ‘I didn’t have any apprehension about playing the role of a mother. I don’t know why actresses have apprehensions about playing a mother especially when we have mothers of all ages in our world and society.’ PTI
