To begin with, Sonakshi starts shooting for Shirish Kunder's 3D extravaganza Joker with Akshay Kumar in January. This will be followed by the multi- starrer Race 2 , for which directors Abbas- Mustan have preferred her to Kareena Kapoor, despite the film's hero Saif Ali Khan reportedly insisting that his girlfriend be cast in the film. Up next will be Kick, an action- comedy costarring Salman, and Prabhu Deva's upcoming Akshay Kumar- starrer.
Rumours are also doing the rounds that Sonakshi could be one of the heroines in Sajid Khan's Housefull 2. Kunal Kohli wants to cast her in his next film starring Shahid Kapoor.
Anurag Basu is also considering Sonakshi for his upcoming film, Barfee , starring Ranbir Kapoor.
It's not every day in Bollywood that an actress who is just one- film- old is flooded with so many offers from top banners. " Her confidence sets her apart. Everyone has noted the fact that although Dabangg was her first film and she was paired with a superstar of Salman Khan's stature, she showed no signs of nervousness. She has no camera fright," said Dabangg director Abhinav Kashyap.
" Being a star's daughter definitely gave her a headstart compared to other newcomers. It means she was considered for high- profile projects and got more leeway. It remains to be seen how she cashes in on the advantage.
However, if producers are willing to shell out over a crore for the onefilm- old Sonakshi, that says a lot," an industry insider said.
Salman is known to promote new talent. However, every newcomer who has made her debut opposite the superstar has somehow never managed to survive in Bollywood.
Turn back the clock, and you realise that Bhagyashree, despite her blockbuster debut in Maine Pyar Kiya , never quite succeeded in chalking out a career in Bollywood. After the Sooraj Barjatya superhit and her now- defunct marriage to flop actor Himalaya, Bhagyashree tried several comebacks in films as well as on TV but none have had any impact.
Similarly, Naghma, Salman's debutant co- star in Baaghi failed to make an impact in Bollywood. Subsequently, she did small roles in films such as Yalgaar and King Uncle before becoming a superstar in Tamil cinema.
Industry experts feel the pattern is a result of the fact that Salman's films hardly ever leave any scope for his actresses, especially newcomers.
That's likely what happened to Chandni as well. In 1991, Salman starred opposite debutant Chandni in Sanam Bewafa . The Saawan Kumar- directed film, despite being a superhit, didn't help Chandni's career and she slipped into oblivion.
" In his ( Salman's) films, girls mostly don't get strong roles. They only have to dance and look pretty," said filmmaker Jag Mundhra.
Sonakshi seems to have broken the jinx that the likes of Bhagyashree, Naghma and Chandni couldn't.
