The year 2022 hasn’t begun with a bang for Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez.
In the last few months, the Sri Lankan beauty queen has been embroiled in a money-laundering investigation involving con man Sukesh Chandrashekhar and a few days ago, news trickled in that her mother was hospitalised in Bahrain following a stroke.
Perhaps due to travel restrictions following the case and COVID-19 spike, Fernandez — who grew up in Bahrain — cannot just hop onto a plane like before. Her recent visit to Dubai to promote an optical brand in the last week of December was also scuttled. But in a brief email interview, Fernandez spoke about her vision for the year ahead.
“Goals, goals, goals. My only vision for 2022 is to stay focused and achieve my goals. It is going to be a super important year for me in terms of work,” said Fernandez.
The actress and fitness enthusiast has several high-profile, big-ticket films on her plate including ‘Ram Setu’ and ‘Bachchan Pandey’ with Akshay Kumar and ‘Cirkus’ with Ranveer Singh.
“2022 is filled with shoot schedules, brand commitments, promotions and everything that comes along. Most importantly, I want to look at 2022 as an opportunity to grow, learn, unlearn and expand my horizons,” said Fernandez, without going into any details. She describes 2021 as a year that was a mixed bag.
“2021 for me has been a bittersweet journey, personally. It was a tough year for the entire world, as we were all battling through the harshest of waves and hardships, which I’m sure has been a big teacher for all of us,” said Fernandez.
This actress, who’s known for her cheerful persona, is famous for her never-say-never attitude. The self-made star who has acted in hits such as ‘Kick’ with Salman Khan and is a part of his inner circle ensures that her sunny personality shines through in the email. The global pandemic and its after-effects has been the biggest leveller, she adds.
“This year taught me how to be independent and self-reliant, as well as how to enjoy life with the simplest of joys and happiness. That’s something, that only you can teach yourselves rather than someone else, for which I’m glad for. This year has taught me how you to be content and find peace from within,” said Fernandez.
While the year has been particularly traumatic for Fernandez, she’s confident that the world will be back to the normal as she knew it. Even though her recent promotional activity to Dubai to promote Nova Eyewear brand didn’t take off, she expressed her excitement at being associated with them. Calling it a superb brand that unites style and substance, Fernandez told Gulf News about her personal style when it comes to eyewear.
“The only thing that comes naturally to me is my energy. So my style is very much dependent on what the energy is like around me — so for me both of the frames can be a go to choice. If I’m going for something classy, I would go for the nerdy frame. On the other hand, if I’m going for something more cheerful, I’ll go for the colourful whacky frame,” she wrote.
Fernandez is also a strong believer in retail therapy. She has often been spotted in Dubai mall-trawling and promoting yoga and fitness in the city.
“Dubai has been my favourite shopping destination for years now. No other place can match the class and elegance that Dubai exudes. More than that, the people of Dubai are so warm and affectionate. I almost don’t feel I’m away from home, when I’m in Dubai. It has become a second home to me now, and I love that,” she said.
