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Upala KBR (DNA; July 28, 2014)

Jacqueline Fernandez’s hit avatar in Kick is the talk of the town. At a special screening of the film, Karan Johar was heard gushing about her to Salman Khan. It is learnt that he told KJo to sign her. A quick wit, the director shot back, “I would love to cast and even manage her!”

Enlarge ImageHe will have to wait, though. Post signing Kick, her career has taken off. She has Roy with Ranbir Kapoor. She also has a three-film contract with filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala, who has finalised her for his next film with Hrithik Roshan.

Jacqueline confirms, “I have signed a three-film contract with Sajid. I have worked twice with him as a producer — in Housefull (she was in the item number Dhanno), in Housefull 2 and now, in his directorial debut Kick. I can’t think of a more amazing person to work with. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. Now I can’t wait to work with him again! Both Sajid and Salman have taken a huge risk in casting me for the film. They decided to go with me and I couldn’t disappoint them. So the biggest high for me was when they both told me that they were proud of me. I achieved what I set out to do.”

She continues, “I prayed really hard for this movie — praying that I would be acknowledged as an actress. After going through so much in the last couple of years, I am now finally getting somewhere. All these years, I got a lukewarm response... I was stuck in the middle — neither in the A-list category nor a newcomer anymore. There was no appreciation or criticism for me in the reviews, good or bad. I kept asking myself — will my performance be appreciated and accepted?”