Deepika Padukone – A Journey from Badminton Courts to Bollywood

Deepika Padukone, the reigning actress of Bollywood, used to be the little girl with a pair of big, bright and inquisitive eyes. She is the daughter of the former internationally acclaimed famous badminton player, Prakash Padukone. Born on January 5, 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark, she has been brought up in Bengaluru, India and then finally shifted her base to Mumbai after starting out a career in modelling since her college days. Although since childhood, badminton was the centre of her dreams and passion, she felt a strong urge to pursue a completely different career in the world of glitz and glamour, which, she later said, was well accepted by her father. From mere television commercials of Liril-Limca-Close UP, Deepika Padukone soon emerged as a prominent figure in leading fashion shows and calendar covers.

But, that was just beginning of a journey meant for another world. From 2004 to 2006, she rose to fame with her modelling assignments and achievements. After being awarded as the “model of the year” by Kingfisher, Deepika Padukone soon got selected as one of the cover girls of the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar 2006. In no time, she was the brand ambassador of Tissot SA, Kingfisher Airlines, Maybelline and Levi Strauss. It was in the same year that finally brought her into the celluloid world as she started her acting journey by being selected as for the video song Naam Hai Tera by Himesh Reshmiya.

Acting did not happen to her accidentally. She has long discovered her passion for acting as she joined Anupam Kher’s acting school to groom herself properly brushing up her acting skills. As talents cannot be hidden for long, she soon started getting calls for acting in films. She made her debut in the cine world with Aishwarya, a Kannada film followed by her big Bollywood break, Om Shanti Om in the next year, 2007. Being cast opposite the king of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan itself is a great compliment and she did full justice to this opportunity by putting her best foot forward. And as her efforts along with her striking personality and all the star qualities did not go unnoticed, she set out to make it big in Bollywood. After her breakthrough Om Shanti Om which earned her Filmfare for Best Female Debut Award, her career graph has not failed to surprise the audience as well as the critics till date as she has kept making her presence felt by doing a handful of blockbusters like Love Aaj Kaal, Karthik Calling Karthik, Lafangey Parindey, Break Ke Baad, Arakshan and Cocktail to name a few.

And in just half a decade of starting a career in Bollywood, she is now the uncrowned queen with top grossing films like Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani or Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela.

Besides her flourishing acting career, Deepika Padukone also has always been confident in voicing her support for different social causes. As a beautiful and independent girl, for Deepika new age feminism is “not about being aggressive; it’s about reaching the top yet being soft. It’s about being you — feminine, strong and full of willpower.” Her humanitarian works also include adopting a Maharashtrian village to provide it with proper electricity supply, participating in World 10K Marathon as a way of helping the 81 NGOs to raise $13.1 million among other such initiatives.

She has currently received her big break in Hollywood and is working with Vin Diesel in xXx.

She has shown what a 21st century Indian woman can achieve in all so little time, yet can return the society back a small token of gratitude.