The World At Deepika's Feet!

The gorgeous Deepika Padukone talks to Sumita Chakraborty about life, work, Bollywood, Hollywood, Vin Diesel and much more… and yes, why she deserves everything she has achieved so far. Read on…

- Sumita Chakraborty

Way back I had met Deepika Padukone for a cover interview for our sister publication SAVVY. At that point she was just 19, already a supermodel and was on the brink of signing Farah Khan’s film Happy New Year with the Badshah Shah Rukh Khan. The venue she picked was her acting school - Anupam Kher’s Film Academy. And we plonked ourselves happily on the steps and did the interview. 19-year-old Deepika even then was very cool, composed and extremely grounded.

…Several months later, Happy New Year released, and Bollywood hailed the birth of a new sensation. From then on, there was no turning back, Deepika moved from strength to strength. And over the years, the 19-year-old I had met further evolved into one of Bollywood’s finest actresses.

After that, there was no stopping her. From becoming the undisputed number one amongst the actresses in Bollywood to foraying into the glitzy global world of Hollywood, Deepika achieved many extraordinary milestones.

It wasn’t only Bollywood, Hollywood too heralded Deepika Paduokone for her style, screen presence and acting prowess. And the icing on the cake was Forbes magazine listing her amongst The World’s Highest Paid Actresses. Today, this gorgeous actress is being wooed by Hollywood’s finest and toasted to by the crème-de-la-crème there.

And though the crown sits pretty on this beautiful damsel’s head, Deepika even today is extremely cool, composed and grounded. Her self-respect, dignity and self-belief makes her stand out not only as a fine actress but also a good human being. Read on…

You’ve gone from strength to strength, conquered all kinds of adversities and challenges with a lot of dignity and principles, and have reached the top. When you look at your journey, how do you feel?