Deepika Padukone

Pretty young Indian actress Deepika Padukone.

Deepika's family are from the village Padukone in the state of Karnataka, India, but she was born January 5, 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark. With all her success in movies Padukone is attached to her family. "I'm very close to my parents and they handle my money. I even discuss my work with them every evening." Her father Prakash played for India in the sport of badminton and Deepika too was a skilled badminton player in high school.



Deepika Padukone sweats it out on a badminton court at the Tata Open Badminton finals held in July at CCI Club, Churchgate, Mumbai. "I played badminton with Aamir Khan for a cause. I will try the same way if I can promote other games like athletics and basketball too along with badminton," promised Padukone. In her school days the athletic girl also played baseball and basketball.



Deepika Padukone gave up badminton for modeling and acting but remains a sporty young girl at heart. She always had a wish to watch a Grand Prix race live and was invited by business tycoon Vijay Mallya to watch the finale of 2009 F1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi, at the Yas Marina Race Circuit last week. Of course Deepika is also the face of Mallya's Force India Formula Team.

Deepika's association with the businessman goes back to her modeling days in college. She was chosen as one of the models for his Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar in 2006 and later became brand ambassador of Kingfisher Airlines. Padukone made her acting debut in a movie called Aishwarya, which had nothing to with fellow actress Aishwarya Rai, and hit the big time in Om Shanti Om opposite Shahrukh Khan.



Deepika Padukone is not a fan of Facebook or Twitter but she is hooked on the Internet. "I've got this personalised Yahoo page for myself so that I can now check mail, chat and send photos all the time," says the Indian actress. "But I do get a lot of e-mails from fans and I do try to reply whenever I can. The Internet is such a personal way to keep in touch with your fans."

Deepika's other notable movies include Pirate, Made in China, Bachna Ae Haseeno, and Love Aaj Kal. In her upcoming movie Karthik Calling Karthik the health conscious Deepika Padukone was required to smoke, so the producer brought special nicotine-free organic cigarettes for her.



Dressed in a saree by designer Suneet Verma, Deepika Padukone, Brand Ambassador for Fiama Di Wills launched the personal care brand's range of transparent gel bathing bars in New Delhi recently. Deepika told reporters, "I have been using Fiama Di Wills products since its launch and really love them. When I got these two new Gel Bathing Bars and was told about its unique qualities, I was really looking forward to using them, and when I did, I realized what I had been missing. It was undoubtedly, an absolutely exhilarating bathing experience, which I couldn’t get enough of!"

"Personally I like Indian dresses, but I am ok with western outfits as well. While choosing a dress what I see is whether I am comfortable in it or not," the 23-year-old Mangalorean beauty told reporters in Delhi.



The 5'9" tall Deepika recalls her fitness regimen during her days as a badminton player. "I used to get up at the crack of dawn, run for 45 minutes and follow it up with weight-training." Nowadays she spends time at the gym and has trainers to look after her fitness, but Padukone also likes the holistic benefits of Yoga and is enthusiastic about walking. "Walking is an excellent exercise. Walking doesn't drain you and yet works every muscle of your body. If you're advised against rigorous exercise, walk. It's the best and the most economical way to keep fit."

For her diet Deepika Padukone prefers home cooked meals and is something of a cook herself. She eats all the famous vegetarian preparations of her native land but also eats flesh, "In non vegetarian fare, I like sea food and Manglorean preparations." Deepika enjoys milk and cheese but her most favorite temptations are chocolates. "I always carry chocolates when I am shooting. I like dark chocolate with nuts and chocolates with a biscuit combination."



In Chandni Chowk to China Deepika Padukone plays twins, a dark looking girl named Sakhi and an extremely pale Meow Meow (above). Apart from the heavy makeup the roles required training in martial arts. "I always had a toned body and the fact that I was an athlete helped. How it helped was because of the kind of sequences I had in the film, I was already prepared for it. Mentally and physically. So when I went on set I didn't waste time practising and rehearsing."



In 2008 Deepika made it to top of the Maxim Hot 100 list in India. "People always used to call me either cute or pretty, but no one ever called me sexy. I take it as a compliment," said the excited Padukone. Talking about her decision to not appear wearing a bikini in photo shoots or movies, Deepika explains, "It's not a conscious decision to do it or to not to do it. It's like - the requirement has never come up. But more than anything, I always think that one should be comfortable with what you're wearing and I think if those girls thought that it was required and if they can carry it off, which they have done very well, it's cool."




In her personal life Deepika was/is in a relationship with actor Ranbir Kapoor but seems like it's not going anywhere after his mother, Neetu Singh, was heard saying that Deepika is only a 'girlfriend' to her son.



Deepika Padukone wearing a satin silk fringe dress by Alberta Ferretti, a Pave set white and champagne diamond ring, from Zoya by Tanishq, in Vogue India. Deepika says her favorite color in clothes is blue, and despite her girl next door charm this Indian actress has a naughty side. "Every girl must have a black and a skin colour seamless bra and a skin colour G-string!"