Jacqueline Fernandez On Her Dream Director, Growing Up In The Middle East And The Biggest Challenges Of Being An Actor
Bazaar Arabia sits down with the multi-award-winning star to discuss everything from her favourite film to the story behind how she rose to fame in Bollywood…
Jacqueline Fernandez On Her Dream Director, Growing Up In The Middle East And The Biggest Challenges Of Being An Actor…
Jacqueline Fernandez is a prominent Bollywood actor and former beauty queen that is best known for her remarkable roles in critically acclaimed films Kick, Race 3, Murder 2, and many others, which make her one of the most-loved and popular stars in the Indian film industry.
Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jacqueline Fernandez has a Middle Eastern connection as the star grew up in Bahrain and stayed in the region for her schooling years. Before entering the world of cinema, the social media sensation pursued a career in modeling and was crowned the winner of the Miss Universe Sri Lanka pageant in 2006.
Beyond her on-screen success, Jacqueline is actively involved in philanthropy and humanitarian work and frequently takes to her 66.7 million Instagram followers to share her latest endeavours.
After her phenomenal performance this weekend at IIFA 2023, Bazaar Arabia‘s Anahita Ghai sits down with the award-winning creative and discusses everything from her success story to her all-time favourite film…
Jacqueline Fernandez On Her Dream Director, Growing Up In The Middle East And The Biggest Challenges Of Being An Actor
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): Why did you decide to get into acting? Could you share your success story?
Jacqueline Fernandez (JF): ? Okay, so I’ve always wanted to be an actress. Ever since I was a kid. I guess it was a dream, I was pursuing a dream. And somehow it just felt right and natural. And I liked to make people laugh. That was like my one thing as a kid., I like to entertain people, dance around and I eventually was able to pursue that and make it my life.
HBA: You were the winner of Miss Universe 2006. Could you share the story behind that?
JF: Wow, that was a funny story, actually. So apart from wanting to be an actress, I followed the pageants. I think that really appealed to me. Growing up as a kid, I was very infatuated with the world of glamour. And so pageant winners, especially people like Aishwarya Rai
or Priyanka Chopra, a lot of the women coming out of Asia who were winning, were huge inspirations for me, and so I wanted to desperately be a part of the pageant as well.
And it just so happened that Sri Lanka was not holding pageants because it was going through some strife, and so we hadn’t had any for like eight years. And I was like, oh my god, this is just my luck. But eventually, I was so lucky. They had just restarted, so I didn’t make it for the first one, but I made it for the second year, and that was a moment I think I’d never forget because it was like a stepping stone toward my goals. I then went to LA for another pageant and didn’t even make it through. But it was honestly one of my first experiences. I’ve never been to the States. I never knew what it was like to style gowns and was doing everything alone. And so the whole experience taught me a lot. I was 19 years old.
HBA: What would you say are the biggest challenges of being an actor?
JF: So, as an actor, you do have to understand that you will constantly be under scrutiny. And it’s a lot to take on because, at the end of the day, people forget to realize that we are only human. So despite the fame or whatever it is, you need to be used to the trolling and develop a thicker skin. But no one likes to hear horrible things about themselves, or, you know, unfair things, rumours, gossip, you know, you just have to bear with that. Because I would say the hardest thing about being an actor is fame. You will never have your privacy intact. Sometimes it’s like you want to go to a restaurant or you want to go to a party with your friends, but it’s just that in this day and age of social media, phones, and cameras, you’re constantly being filmed or watched.
HBA: You grew up in Bahrain and are originally Sri Lankan and then moved to India. What was it like growing up in the Middle East and which city would you consider home?
JF: Right now, I would definitely say India. I’ve lived in India now for over 13 years now. And, you know, it’s where my work is and even my parents come to visit me. And, of course, because I grew up in Bahrain, it’s very close to my heart. When I do go back home and visit my family, I go see my school and my friends. I also have a lot of memories in Sri Lanka, so between these three, it’s a little bit difficult, but I love the fact that I have all the pieces to call home. Yeah. So like I said, I’ve learned so much growing up in the Middle East, being a Sri Lankan as well, coming back home to your grandma’s cooking, and just things like that. I know, of course, that that shows a different side of things.
HBA: You have worked with several megastars in various films. Who would you say you had the best experience working with?
JF: So I would say every single experience is different, right? So I’ve been very blessed. I have worked with icons with many years of experience, like Salman Khan. Even working with legends like Amitabh Bachchan, who I did my first movie with. I remember immediately understanding the lesson of punctuality from him and the importance of rehearsing, knowing your lines, and being professional. So I was so blessed that I was able to do this kind of work in those environments. It was fun shooting Housefull with Akshay Kumar; we were in London, and the entire cast had a great time. It’s difficult to choose one; I’ve had a great time working with everyone; let’s just say I’ve not had a bad time working with anyone.
HBA: Who is your dream costar? Someone you would really want to work with?
JF: To be completely honest with you, I have always wanted to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I know my answer is not an actor but a director. But it’s because I feel one of my biggest inspirations for entering Bollywood was Devdas and just seeing his work. I remember watching it and thinking, ”Wow, how is this even possible? Everything is so beautiful and dreamy.” He has so much depth in his cinema. So I would say working with him would be any actor’s dream as he brings out so much in them.
HBA: There’s a trend of celebrities moving towards Netflix original series and Amazon Prime series. Is this something you wish to pursue more of?
JF: 100%. I just feel as actors, I don’t think the medium really matters is or the language, it’s purely the characters and content. I think every actor is greedy and hungry for good content. Yeah, I’m a huge show buff, I can binge watch shows all day. And some of these characters are so lovable, or just, they’re so memorable. Yeah, like, I think like any actor would kind of love to have that opportunity. And I think for me, it’s not that I would I would choose this or that. Yeah, I would love to explore everything.
HBA: From all the films you have done, which is your personal favourite?
JF: I honestly never like to watch my own work. A lot of my teachers will tell me to go back and rewatch them and, you know, critique myself. But for me, it is one of the most uncomfortable things to do. Sometimes I am sitting there watching the screen with various people from the industry, and the minute I come out, I am like, urgh. But honestly, if I had to choose, it would be Murder 2. The team was really fun, and it was an interesting story. And I have to say the softest part in my heart is the movie Kick. Because that for me was like living a dream, I was working with Salman Khan; it was a huge setup, great story, great character, great music, and yeah, everything felt amazing. It’s actually a very tough question because I have been part of some great things and worked with some amazing directors and actors.
HBA: You have a great personal sense of style. How would you describe your fashion sense and who is your biggest style icon?
JF: It’s like, I tend not to look at the contemporary, but I genuinely like to look at stuff that has been iconic. Fashion always gets recycled. So when I work closely with my stylist, we discuss particular looks and things happening and try not to jump on the trends and just be true to ourselves. I take inspiration from everything, like nature and colours, and we try to do things we haven’t done and explore that further.
Interview: Anahita Ghai