Deepika in a vin win position

The actress on Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and a Diesel film.

Deepika Padukone, looking ethereal in a white gown, takes her seat in the conference room of a suburban five-star hotel ready to field questions, the first one, not surprisingly, about her Hollywood debut, opposite action hero Vin Diesel in the blockbuster franchise, XXX. As expected, the actress who has reportedly signed a non-disclosure clause, is evasive on the subject, saying simply and shortly, "You will know soon."

Last Friday, the actress had tweeted a picture with a man who had his back to the camera and the XXX logo in the background, fuelling speculations that like her Bajirao Mastani co-star, Priyanka Chopra, she too was Hollywood-bound. While many dismissed this as a publicity stunt, Vin Diesel added fuel to fire by posting a picture of them together, their faces turned to the camera, a day later.

Is it wise to look West when she is at the Bollywood peak? "Until I have a legitimate career anywhere other than the Indian film industry I can't answer this question," Deepika says diplomatically, adding, "But women are born to multi-task, so why not?"

However, before the year ends, she has one more release coming up, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Baijrao-Mastani, which, she admits, has been her toughest film yet, made even more difficult because she had to juggle it with Piku and Tamasha. "The ideal scenario would have been to concentrate on one film at a time, but I couldn't resist doing the other two as well. I ended up with three good films in a year, but it was physically and emotionally exhausting because of the intensity you have to bring to each character. Just when I wonder what more I have left to give, a new well opens up," she dimples.

Bhansali's grandiose period romance has forged a bond between Priyanka and her and they are now being hailed as B-town's new besties. Deepika points out that when she came to Mumbai as a model, Priyanka was the first actress she met. "Even back then she was a huge movie star but she's always been more of a friend than a colleague," she asserts, admitting that she's seen the first four episodes of PeeCee's American TV show, Quantico, and is hooked on it. "I haven't been able to stay up-todate because my schedule's been crazy. But it is an exciting series."

You wonder if she will ever feature in a TV show in the West and she frowns, considering, "It's not something that I have thought about, but never say never. For now it's not something that is top of my mind."

Just then her reel and real life beau, Ranveer Singh, casually strolls into the room. Looking surprised, Deepika points out that she's doing an interview to which he retorts, "Have they separated us? I was looking forward to spending the day with you." However, he obligingly turns back, pausing on his way out to say, "Call me if you need anything."

Quiz her on Ranveer, the actor, and she says that the first time they worked together, she thought he had a very complicated process of working. "But with Bajirao Mastani I was a lot more prepared and understood that different actors work differently. He's matured as a performer and surprises me with his chameleon-like performances. Often actors play themselves on screen and it's difficult to disconnect the star from the character, but I forget it's Ranveer five minutes into a film. He's Bittoo, Kabir or Bajirao."

When asked to compare Ranveer and Ranbir Kapoor she says, "Ranbir has a very different personality and a different process of working. Ranveer is a very different person with different energies. The characters they play are very different..."

When Ranveer and she are making their relationship official? For a minute she is stumped, then laughs, "No, we have not signed any film after this so there is no official announcement coming," Ufff!

Deepika is not one to be drawn into revealing any secrets, "After three releases I definitely need a break, I want to spend a lot of time with my family whom I have neglected of late." When prodded on the controversy between her and her Piku costar, Amitabh Bachchan, who was peeved about not getting an invitation to her success bash, she quips. "There has been a lot of speculation on this, what is important to me is to have pure, honest relationships in my life. I think Mr Bachchan and I are on the same page and that's the only thing that matters."