Journalism of Courage
Bollywood beauty Deepika Padukone, who celebrates her 30th birthday today (January 5), is not only tasting success, but literally basking in its glory and rightly so. The actress has been on a roll in the past few years, with almost each and every release making its way to the much-coveted Rs 100 crore club. We take a look at some of her notable work in films like Piku, Bajirao Mastani, Ram Leela and many more.
Best Actor (Female): Deepika Padukone bagged the award for her performance in Piku.
Tamasha: Deepika once again came together with former flame Ranbir Kapoor for Imtiaz Ali's 'Tamasha' last year. The wanderlust film revolved around a book fanatic Tara and a freewheeling guy, Ved. Indian Express' critic Shubhra Gupta wrote in her review of Tamasha: "Deepika is luminous, and she is much more sure-footed in her part."
Bajirao Mastani: After setting screens ablaze with 'Ram-Leela', rumoured lovebirds, Deepika and Ranveer Singh reunited for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Bajirao Mastani' along with Priyanka Chopra. Deepika's portrayal of Mastani and her electrifying chemistry with Ranveer, was considered as one of the major highlights of 'Bajirao Mastani'. The film is currently doing well in theatres despite competition from Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer, 'Dilwale'.
Om Shanti Om: Deepika Padukone first made her way into this glitzy town with Farah Khan's 'Om Shanti Om' opposite none other than Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan. Not only did Deepika’s performance make fans and critics stand up and take notice of this new face, but the film was a huge commercial success.
Bachna Ae Haseeno: Deepika shared screen space with Ranbir Kapoor in Siddharth Anand’s romantic comedy. Set in Australia, Deepika was seen as the gutsy student who is also a cab driver in the city.
Love Aaj Kal: Deepika’s pairing with Saif Ali Khan in Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Love Aaj Kal’ was a big hit. She played Meera Pandit, a headstrong career woman in the love story, that revolved around the changing value of relationships among youngsters. The film went on to become the third-highest grossing film of the year.
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani: The actress was seen romancing former boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor in Ayan Mukerji's 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' that saw stupendous success. Though the duo had a somewhat messy parting, their chemistry had their fans intrigued and wanting more of the ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’ couple. The film also made it to the 100 crore club in just six days of its release.
Chennai Express: Deepika reunited with 'Om Shanti Om' co-star Shah Rukh Khan for yet another blockbuster, Rohit Shetty’s ‘Chennai Express’. She played Meenalochini Azhagusundaram and absolutely nailed the typical Tamil accent.
Ram-Leela: Fresh on the heels of 'Chennai Express', Deepika scorched screens with her performance of Leela in Sanjay Bhansali’s ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’ opposite rumoured lover, Ranveer Singh. The duo enthralled and seduced their audience in the Indian adaptation of Shakespearean play ‘Romeo and Juliet’. ‘Ram-Leela’ was declared a massive commercial hit and is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of 2013.
Finding Fanny: Determined to prove that she is not all about the blockbusters, Deepika signed up for Homi Adajania’s off-beat film, ‘Finding Fanny’, where she played the role of a young widow who takes a road trip with a strange set of people. The film received immense critical acclaim and was screened at 19th Busan International Film Festival.
