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Deepika Padukone

Padukone was born to Ujjala and Prakash Padukone on January 5, 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her family moved to Bangalore when she was only eleven months old. Her father Prakash Padukone is a badminton player of international repute, while her mother is a travel agent. Padukone also has a younger sister named Anisha and is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer.

Padukone attended Sophia High School in Bangalore. She completed her studies from Mount Carmel College. While in high school she played badminton at the state level like her father and was a member of her father's badminton club. However, she wasn't keen on pursuing a career as a badminton player and abandoned it because of her ICSE exams.
Courtesy:Wikipedia:

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Deepika Padukone and Neetu Singh at Arjun Khanna's runway show at the Lakme Fashion Week at NCPA Saturday, March 29. Photo Credit: Sawf News

Modeling

While pursuing her studies in college, she decided to pursue a career in modeling due to her tall and slender figure. Over the years, she has modeled for famous Indian brand names such as Liril, Dabur Lal powder, Close-Up toothpaste and Limca. She received many prestigious modeling offers, which included becoming the brand ambassadorship of the Jewels of India. Padukone hit the international scene when Maybelline made her their new international spokesperson.

At the 5th annual Kingfisher Fashion Awards she was awarded the title Model of the Year. Shortly afterwards, she was chosen as one of the models for the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar for 2006 and won two trophies at the Idea Zee Fashion Awards: Female Model of the Year - (Commercial Assignments) and Fresh Face of the Year later that year. Padukone was also chosen as the brand ambassador of Kingfisher Airlines and most recently Levi Strauss and Tissot SA
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Deepika Padukone

Acting

After pursuing a successful career in modeling, Padukone branched out into acting. She started by starring in the music video for the song Naam Hai Tera from the independent pop album Aap Kaa Surroor by Himesh Reshammiya.

In 2006, Padukone made her cinematic debut in the Kannada film, Aishwarya staring opposite actor Upendra. She later made a [B]successful Bollywood debut in 2007 with Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om opposite Shahrukh Khan.[] The film went on to become the biggest hit of the year, both in India and abroad. The film featured her portraying Shantipriya - a 1970s superstar, and later as Sandy - a young woman who looks exactly like Shantipriya. Her performance was well received, earning the actress a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award as well as her first Filmfare Best Actress nomination. Taran Adarsh from indiaFM noted, "Deepika has all it takes to be a top star -- the personality, the looks and yes, she's supremely talented too. Standing in the same frame as SRK and getting it right is no small achievement. She comes as a whiff of fresh air.
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Deepika Padukone:as she appears in OM SHANTI OM:

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Deepika Padukone

Filmfare Awards

Winner

* 2008: Filmfare Best Female Debut Award; Om Shanti Om
* 2008: Sony Head N Shoulders Fresh Face of the Year Award; Om Shanti Om

Nominated

* 2008: Filmfare Best Actress Award; Om Shanti Om[10]

Star Screen Awards

Winner

* 2008: Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Female; Om Shanti Om
* 2008: Star Screen Award Jodi No. 1 along with Shahrukh Khan; Om Shanti Om
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Deepika describes herself as as quiet, composed and poised. Who is her fave Team India player? (Photo/Manoj Kesharwani)

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Clad in saree: Deepika Padukone looks haute in a saree. (BCCL Photo)
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Deepika Padukone

'One day, like any other girl, I intend to settle down and have children. How would those write-ups look at that time? I'm so glad I've found a man who comes from the same space and understands the pitfalls of sensational journalism.'

Deepika, who was apparently was seeing cricketer Yuvraj Singh at one time, is now reportedly set to tie the knot with Ranbir Kapoor.
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Deepika Padukone: As she appears in Om Shanti Om:
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“Deepika has almost become a part Ranbir’s family. She has met his aunts, uncles and cousins. And Neetu aunty has really bonded with her too. In fact when Deepika began looking for a house Neetu aunty really helped her out,” says a friend of the couple, “They two have been inseparable since their return from Australia. And with their shooting schedules all over the place for the coming year, the two wanted to live close by so that they could meet frequently.”
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Deepika Padukone

• Aha! You have a great reason to be happy. Your man (Ranbir) recently admitted that he is in love with you...
(Blushes) Yes, Ranbir and I are seeing each other. So sorry as the media will not have gossip to write about me anymore
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Deepika Padukone

• But you two were in a relationship and then broke up, and now you are together again?
No. It wasn't like that. Whenever Ranbir and I met, the media started speculating. Love is the most beautiful emotion in the world. Why would we hide it if we were in love then? You see, we used to meet often but that was because we were getting to know each other better. After a certain time, we drifted apart because we both got busy with our respective shooting schedules. Today, we realise that we are compatible with each other. So, we have no qualms in telling the world that we are in love.

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Deepika Padukone

Q:• What went wrong between you and Yuvraj Singh?

I don't want to talk about that. If two people are spending time together and having dinner in a restaurant, why does it make front page news? Aren't there more important issues in the world? But like I said, my family and I are getting used to all this.
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Deepika Padukone

Q:• Are you saying that there was nothing between you and Yuvraj?

I am not commenting on my past. I am very happy right now in my relationship with Ranbir.

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Deepika Padukone

Q:• Tell us about your forthcoming films.

I have finished Yash Raj film's Bachna Ae Haseenon, which is directed by Siddharth Anand. Siddharth's film is a romantic comedy and I play one of the three girls who comes in the hero's (Ranbir Kapoor) life. I have started shooting for Nikhil Advani's film, Chandni Chowk to China. It is an action film which requires me to learn jijitsu (a form of martial arts).I will soon start shooting for Imtiaz Ali's film with Saif Ali Khan.

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Bhaiya ASJ, deepika is veyr beautiful...a lovely smile.

Neetu...she looks diff.

and you...debonair

Deepika is very beautiful, smile as well

Neetu still has the smile with the dimples but of course older from what i remember her...

Asj stealing Chameli's word - debonair.

Ladies, I have to check out debonair, but I cannot find my dictionary right now.

Thanks guys, we will if we have the info, allocate some write ups to all the new comers. We have quite a few that is doing quite well on the Bollywood Scenes, and that includes actors as well as actresses.

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DEEPIKA PADUKONE AS SHE APPEARS IN "FEMINA"

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She hit the international scene when Maybelline made her their new international covergirl face. At the 5th annual Kingfisher Fashion Awards, she was awarded the title of Model of the Year and Playboy Magazine Cover Winner. Shortly afterwards, she was chosen as one of the models for the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar for 2006.

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Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone , the two most promising newcomers of year 2007 come together for the first time in Yashraj Films presentation ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’.

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Deepika Padukone at the launch of Chivas 25 in New York Saturday 29 Sep 2007. Photo Credit: Chivas Regal

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YES! WE ARE IN LOVE, RANBIR AND I: WITH PARENTS BLESSINGS

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Om Shanti Om girl Deepika Padukone is annoyed with the press for publishing stories about her romantic link-ups, saying they will dent her reputation and cause future embarrassment.

'The media needs to be a little restrained. I am a simple girl and from a respectable family. And loose talk about me harms my reputation,' Deepika, who will be seen in Chandni Chowk to China, told IANS in an interview.

'One day, like any other girl, I intend to settle down and have children. How would those write-ups look at that time? I'm so glad I've found a man who comes from the same space and understands the pitfalls of sensational journalism.'

Deepika, who was apparently seeing cricketer Yuvraj Singh at one time, is now reportedly set to tie the knot with Ranbir Kapoor.

Ask her why she and beau Ranbir went public about their relationship, Deepika said: 'Because this is the first time I've actually and truly fallen in love. Being in love is the loveliest feeling. When two people are getting close they need time to understand one another.'

Both of them will be seen together for the first time on screen in Bachna Ae Haseeno.

Excerpts from an interview:

Q: Post Om Shanti Om (OSO) how has your life changed?

A: All this is very new for me. My father (bandmintom champ Prakash Padukone) was also a celebrity, but we were never exposed to media coverage. Before I went into the modelling profession, I did go into my dad's profession - it was the expected thing. I played badminton at the national level. But I realised my heart was set on modelling. Movies weren't even in my range of vision. But after two years of modelling, I started getting film offers I was only 18 then. I didn't want to jump into anything.

Q: What took you down south?

A: You mean my Kannada film Aishwarya? I am from Karnataka and it was directed by a young and talented man, Indrajit Lankesh. And I was paired with a huge Kannada star, Upendra.

Q: Did you speak your own lines?

A: Yes, I did. I learnt Kannada in school. Farah Khan had already offered me OSO. But we were to shoot a year later. So I did the Kannada film.

Q: You remind me of Aishwarya Rai.

A: I'd take that as a compliment. I grew up watching her. When I was in school I remember how thrilled I was when she won Miss World. Ash and Sushmita Sen are people I've admired.

Q: What do you and Ranbir talk about?

A: Well...we do know what's going on in each other's careers. But otherwise we try to keep cinema out of our conversation. We try not to get into one another's workspace.

Q: It's amazing but both of you started your careers in Hindi films as fierce rivals in SaawariyaOSO?
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A: That rivalry was more media-created than anything else. Comparing me with Sonam Kapoor was so uncalled for. We come from two totally different spaces and we started differently. She assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I come from the modelling world. And our debut vehicles a