Their pairing in the recent Race 3 might not have been one of sparkling chemistry and sizzling fireworks. Or if it was, then viewers missed the magic altogether in the hullabaloo of the rest of the film. But Jacqueline Fernandez knows that come what may, in her mind at least, she will never make the perfect onscreen jodi with Salman Khan because another actress holds that coveted position. And no, Katrina Kaif does not make that distinction!

[caption id="attachment_92212" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Still from Race 3 Heeriye song[/caption]

The Sri Lankan beauty queen who came to India to join Bollywood was asked by a leading film magazine in the exciting run up to Race 3 which actress she thought was perfect for Salman on screen. And honestly, and without hesitation, Jacqueline replied, “Aishwarya!” She meant the Bachchan bahu, of course, who like her is also a former Indian beauty queen who made the transit from Miss World to films seamlessly in the mid-1990s.

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Jacqueline then qualified her reply by saying, “Aishwarya looked so good with Salman in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.” She went on to add generously that Sanjay Leela Bhanali’s 1999 romantic drama, co-starring Ajay Devgn, was one of her favourite films and the Salman-Ash pairing in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was for her the most perfect onscreen one of all.

[caption id="attachment_92209" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A still from the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam[/caption]

The critically ripped apart (but box office success) Race 3 is only Jacqueline’s second film with Salman after Kick in 2014. But she thinks she shares a good chemistry with him on screen. “We’re compatible,” she explained simply. It seems Salman has known her from her early days in Bollywood and probably met her first when she was doing the disastrous fantasy adventure Aladdin in 2009 with Ritesh Deshmukh and Amitabh Bachchan.
According to Jacqueline, Salman asked her to meet him for London Dreams, the musical drama he was making with Ajay Devgn for Vipul Shah in 2009, but the actress does not elaborate why she did not get the role and the South Indian actress and Bharatnatyam dancer Asin Thottumkal was taken instead. But perhaps Salman must have regretted that, because Jacqueline later found out that he was quietly recommending her to his filmmaker friends, among them David Dhawan and Sajid Nadiadwala. “And now Ramesh Taurani for Race 3,” she said.