Leading lady of Aladin

It's time for the red carpet to be laid out. Aladin is aiming for a Diwali release and as the film hits the screens, Bollywood would also see the arrival of its 'most exotic' import ever - Jacqueline Fernandes.

All set to regale the audience with a lethal mix of cute persona and some sensuality, Jacqueline is finally being unveiled by the makers of Aladin. "Well, the journey has just begun. Last one year was quite happening but now it is going to be even more exciting times with Aladin being round the corner", she says.

Over the last few months, Jacqueline was closely guarded for all the right reasons. 2008 had seen quite some noise being made around the number of newcomer girls (Asin, Anushka) while Aladin was still quite some distance away.

Says Sujoy Ghosh, the film's director and co-producer, "There was no point for anyone associated with the film to gaga over Jacqueline because of two major reasons. First and foremost she had just stepped into the industry and she wanted to focus on doing a good job in her debut film. Secondly, it was felt that her being 'exposed' to millions out there so soon would have resulted in an over exposure."

The protective director goes on to add, "Since Jacqueline is one of the four major protagonists of the film, other than Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Riteish Deshmukh, she has always been someone special. Now is the time for her to reach out to the world and I am sure Bollywood followers out there would be stunned with what they see of her."

Jacqueline gets nostalgic while remembering the times she spent on the film's sets, "Playing Jasmine was all fun and frolic with just the right ingredients of quintessential Bollywood 'naach gaana' routine and countless romantic and dramatic moments. It couldn't have been a better start."

Considering the fact that 2009 is perking up now after a dry beginning, it only makes Jacqueline's arrival in the industry even more precious.

An import from Sri Lanka who already has a beauty pageant crown in her kitty (she was Miss Sri Lanka 2006), Jacqueline has been academically inclined as well, as apparent from her degree in Media and Communications from Sydney, Australia.

Ambitious to the core, she had once stated - "Being independent and accomplished was imperative to me and I always demanded the best of myself. Perfectionism is my strongest asset."

That's something which is pretty much on display, as clear from her choice for her debut film Aladin which is a co- production of Eros and Sujoy's 'Boundscript' and stars none other than Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt along with Riteish Deshmukh.

Says Jacqueline while spreading out that million dollar smile of hers, "The way Riteish's character is fleshed out in the movie, it was all rather cute. However, nothing can beat the excitement of working with Mr. Bachchan and Mr. Dutt. In a way, they were just the antithesis of Riteish. I couldn't have been luckier."