From Murder 2 to Housefull 3: Jacqueline Fernandez is the Queen of Sequels 

When she made her debut opposite Riteish Deshmukh in Sajid Khan's Aladin (2009), Jacqueline Fernandez was branded just another beauty queen in Bollywood. Since then, however, she has managed to break stereotypes and make a name for herself. As Housefull 3 ends a successful first weekend with Rs52 crore and looks set to enter the Rs100 crore club, it is perhaps time to acknowledge that the former Miss Universe from Sri Lanka has found her niche in Hindi cinema — in sequels.

Her first foray into a franchise came with Murder 2 (2011). The Mohit Suri-directed Emraan Hashmi starrer was a sequel to the cult hit Murder (2009), starring Mallika Sherawat. Following such a headliner would have been difficult, but Jacqueline Fernandez managed to do it with elan. The film turned in a lifetime collection of Rs46 crore. It was Fernandez's first hit.

Housefull 2 (2012) was the next big film to come her way. Directed by Sajid Khan, the film was a slapstick comic caper starring the familiar duo of Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh alongside John Abraham. Fernandez was one of the new members of the cast alongside Asin, Shreyas Talpade and Shahzahn Padamsee. The film roared at the box office, earning Rs114 crore in sum. It was Fernandez's first Rs100 crore film, a number she would improve upon.

The year 2013 saw the actress join another successful franchise with Abbas-Mustan's thriller Race 2 (2013). Co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, the film turned out to be quite successful. Having touched Rs51 crore on the opening weekend, it ended up with a lifetime collection of Rs100.45 crore. It also enhanced Fernandez's reputation. 

Jacqueline Fernandez has also been part of films like Roy (2015), Brothers (2015), and Kick (2014). Of these, Brothers made a fair Rs82.47 crores but Roy petered out with Rs44.5 crore. Brothers was let down by its performances, while Roy's convoluted script did not make an impact on audiences. These films were done in by the hype, but they also served to confirm the belief that Jacqueline Fernandez's luck works better with sequels.

Only Kick broke through every box-office record with a collection of Rs233 crore, but that was to be expected of a Salman Khan film. It also became Fernandez's most successful film. The actress is now set to appear in the Varun Dhawan-John Abraham action flick Dishoom (2016), which has all the makings of a future Rs100 crore franchise.

In her most recent venture, the actress has returned to the genre she is most comfortable with — slapstick comedy in a sequel. Housefull 3 (2016) is directed by Sajid-Farhad and stars the inimitable Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh. The film has already set the cash counters ringing with the highest opening weekend of 2016, earning Rs52 crore. It appears that the film is headed the same way as her previous sequels, Housefull 2 made Rs42 crore in the first weekend and Race 2 touched Rs51 crore. If her luck holds, Jacqueline Fernandez may well find her fourth Rs100 crore film.

But that's not the end, Fernandez has one more big sequel up her sleeve — Bang Bang 2, opposite Sidharth Malhotra. If this action-adventure film clicks, nobody can take away the fact that Fernandez has found her place as the reigning queen of sequels in Hindi cinema.