The uber chic and sexy, Deepika Padukone is just a year old in the industry and she has already made quite a name for herself and achieved a large global fan base!. Check out this exclusive Desi Hits! interview where she gets candid about her family, films and much more..
DH!: 2008 was a great year for you and we hear you have a great line up of films in 2009. So where do you hope your career will take you in 2009?
Deepika: I hope that 2009 is as exciting as 2008 and I am very happy with the way my professional life is going now so I just hope that this year is the same for me. I always hope that I remain happy because I think happiness is very important.
DH!: Your birthday just passed, How were your birthday celebrations? We heard that you visited a temple, did you party as well?
Deepika: No, partying is not my thing, I preferred spending time with my family and yes I did visit a temple in the morning, that's generally how I start my day on my birthday and do things
that I enjoy doing. So I spent time with my family and also worked a bit, so I managed to
balance out both. (smiles)
DH!: Any birth-day wishes?
Deepika: Well...what better way to start the year then with a big film? My film, 'Chandni Chowk To China' is out so I hope that it does really well.
DH!: 'Chandni Chowk to China' was your first action movie. Was it tough to emote the action
scenes?
Deepika: Yes, it was tough, but I am glad that I went through the extensive training - physically
and mentally it was important. So I was well prepared.
DH!: What training did you undertake prior to filming?
Deepika: I was trained for six months. My trainers came down from Hong Kong and trained me in all the cable work and wire work and all the sword fights and all those things.
DH!: What made you decide to work on 'Chandni Chowk to China'?
Deepika: This project was offered to me before 'Om Shanti Om' released. I was always very keen to do an action film, and it sounded like a very big and exciting project. Also Nikhil Advani was directing it, and it was opposite Akshay Kumar and also I have a double role, so what more could I have asked for?
DH!: You are playing a double role once again. (after Om Shanti Om)Do you think opting for double roles gives you more scope to exercise your acting prowess?
Deepika: I would consider myself very lucky to get the opportunity to do a double
role again. It just gives me that much more confidence that my directors and the
audience believe that I can carry off different kinds of looks in different kinds of
roles. And obviously as an actor it is a lot more challenging doing two roles in the
same film. It's definitely not easy and is quite challenging.
DH!: Do you plan on taking up non commercial?
films in the future?
Deepika: Sure, as an actor I would definitely like to
do different kinds of roles and different
kinds of cinema?
DH!: Tell us about your experience on Chandni Chowk To China?
Deepika: For me the most interesting part would be shooting at the 'Great Wall Of China.' I had
always thought that I would end up there as a tourist, but it was a greater experience actually shooting there. I think it was the first film to have ever been shot at the Great Wall Of China.
DH!: How was it working with Akshay Kumar? How do you rate his stunt quotient? Were you
intimidated by performing alongside the Khilladi actor?
Deepika: I wouldn't say intimidated because then that would be taking away credit from him. He's someone who has made me feel extremely comfortable, whether it was on the sets,
whether it was in a scene or whether it was an action stunt. He's made me feel absolutely
comfortable and also I give my director credit for that and I would also give myself a
little bit of credit for that because I had trained really hard for it. No, I wasn't intimidated.
I am just someone who really admires the way he's groomed himself over the years and
the way he has evolved as an actor and the kind of cinema that he's doing, I think he's
someone who we can all really learn a lot from.
DH!: You are considered to be one of the most beautiful/promising faces to hit
Bollywood in a long time? Do all the sky-high expectations bog you down?
Deepika: No, it doesn't. I am here to enjoy my work. I think I enjoy my work and it is extremely important and that is the
reason I am here.
DH!: Who is your worst critic?
Deepika : I think myself and my family. I think my family would be most honest
with me.
DH!: When you see yourself on screen, do you cringe or do you analyze it to
pieces?
Deepika: I do a little bit of both. (grins)
DH!: How would you best describe Deepika Padukone-the person and the Deepika Padukone - the celebrity?
Deepika: I don't consider myself a celebrity, I believe that I've had a fantastic up
bringing and I believe my parents have kept me really grounded and rooted and my family keeps me rooted. And I hope that success never gets to me. I've seen my father handle success really well and I hope I continue in the same way because I believe that fame and money, all of that are all secondary things. The main thing is to enjoy your work.
DH!: With the economic downturn, do you think it's feasible to plan magnum opuses? As an
actor, how do you plan to tackle the downturn?
Deepika: I'll tackle it when I have to; I haven't really faced the situation yet.
You seem to be very picky about choosing roles?
DH!: Do you consult anybody from the film
fraternity before signing on a venture?
Deepika!: Obviously the final decision is mine, but I do have my parents who I always consult with
before I do a film and I take their advice.
DH!: Will we ever see you in a Hollywood venture?
Deepika: If something exciting comes up, why not?
DH!: How do you de-stress after a day's hard work and what'
the mantra that keeps you going?
Deepika !: I enjoy doing simple things. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, eating simple home food.
DH!: Tell us something that nobody else knows about you
Deepika: Nothing in particular. I like to believe that I am a very simple person. I like doing simple things, I like spending time at home with my family and friends. And I am extremely fond of chocolates.
DH!: Does it rile you up about your personal life being discussed? And if we may ask, what's
the status on you and Ranbir Kapoor?
Deepika: I am very secure any happy in my relationship.
DH!: How does it feel to be a part of Imtiaz Ali's next venture 'Production No 1'? Were you
aware of the tug of war between Saif Ali Khan and the director over who should be cast?
Deepika: That's really none of my business and decision. I think if Imtiaz has approached me for a film and if he thinks I fit the role then... (grins) It was offered to me and obviously I
agreed to do it. It's a great script and a great role and I think certain roles are written with
certain people in mind. So that's really the director's decision. I am no one to really
comment on that.
DH!: You won several awards for your role in 'Om Shanti Om'. How has the film changed your
life?
Deepika: It's changed my life in a lot of ways. The fact that I got to debut with Shahrukh Khan and Farah, they gave me such a huge launch. Apart from that I am completely thankful to the
industry and the audience for accepting me and the fact that I have got such fabulous
roles and opportunities to be a part of such good films.
DH!: Coming back to your personal life, you used to play badminton, like your father. What
made you change your career path?
Deepika: I always wanted to be a model and wanted to be in the glamour field. So it's something
that I always wanted to do.
DH!: You famously criticized the media for publishing stories about your romantic link-ups.
Has this affected your private life and how you conduct interviews?
Deepika: To me it really doesn't matter; I understand that it's the job of the media to get as much as they can. I understand that it's also a part of the profession that I am in. I know that
people appreciate my work and that's the most important thing. I really don't react to
these kinds of things when they are written.
Lastly, what do hope for in 2009?
I hope that my films that release do really well.
