Salman Khan And Deepika Padukone In Kick 2? Jacqueline Out Of The Race

New Delhi:

Race 3 cost Jacqueline Fernandez Kick 2 and her loss reportedly translated into Deepika Padukone's gain (who earlier featured in Race 2). A source told BollywoodLife that because Jacqueline is starring opposite Salman Khan in Race 3, the makers of Kick 2 want to re-cast the female lead in their film. "Deepika Padukone is being considered for Kick 2 with the film going on floors sometime next year. As Jacqueline and Salman are already working together in Race 3, it only makes sense to give audience a fresh pairing," the source said. Salman Khan has also replaced the male lead of the Race franchise in the third installment. Saif Ali Khan, who starred in the first two Race films, told news agency PTI that he was aware of the re-casting and said that Ramesh S Taurani (producer) wanted to make Race 3 as a fresh film. "Who better than Salman Khan for this? I wish both of them luck," PTI quoted Saif as saying.

For the uninitiated, Salman Khan had offered Deepika her first Bollywood film but the actress had declined the offer then and was launched some years later by Shah Rukh Khan in 2007's Om Shanti Om.

"He offered me my first film when I was too young and I was not ready to be in front of the camera. I will always be grateful to him. Just the fact that he offered me a film was a great thing. It is taking a long time for us to come together on screen, so I think there is something special waiting for us," Deepika told news agency PTI, when she was promoting Ram Leela in 2013.

As of now Deepika Padukone is filming Padmavati with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and her next film will be with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, reportedly titled Sapna Didi. The film also stars Irrfan Khan and it is directed by Honey Trehan.

Salman Khan is busy filming Tiger Zinda Hai with co-star Katrina Kaif.

(With inputs from PTI)