Shout-out to Deepika Padukone

As she stood strong on Filmfare night, her eyes bright and wet all at the same time, reading a letter from her father that spoke of staying humble and following her dream, I found my favourite star " a tall woman " by height and heart.

There has been no one quite close to this gorgeous lady in red in a long time and what makes her a star is not the box office zillions but her ability to stand strong despite " despite a bad relationship, despite the fact that people rubbished her as a one-film wonder launched with SRK, despite the fact that she is a few uncomfortable inches taller than most of her male co-stars.

And the biggest despite of them all' " that she bravely acknowledges her fears, faults and tears in public.

Sans melodrama

Deepika Padukone for me has no persona at all because there seems so little make belief about her. She wears her skin as effortlessly as she becomes Piku or the vulnerable Naina. She talks openly and publicly about suffering from depression and anxiety and coping with it.

"There were days when I would feel okay, but at times, within a day, there was a roller-coaster of feelings. Finally, I accepted my condition. The counselling helped, but only to an extent. Then, I took medication, and today I am much better," she said in an interview in March 2015.

Needless to say her approach is refreshing and even more relevant when most of her peers and even everyone around in the REAL world too seems to be falling prey to botox, fillers, silicon boobs and whatever else makes them completely different from who they are and petrified of the challenges they face.

Conscious choices

"A strong woman is the one who needs no validation" is what I read while growing up yet the sense of low self worth around me is baffling and the pursuit of happiness in pouts and cleavages seems even more nauseating.

"I am not naive about my own profession; it is one that requires lots of demanding things of me. A character may demand that I be clothed from head to toe or be completely naked, and it will be my choice as an actor whether or not I take either. Understand that this is a ROLE and not REAL, and it is my job to portray whatever character I choose to play convincingly," she states in another conversation.

Deepika's choices and expressions delight me as a woman, as a professional and in all the roles we play in between. Throw me to the wolves and I shall return leading the pack is the tenor and the belief.

You may have millions of fans Deepika, but you earned yourself another one on a bright Filmfare night, and this one is a hell of super proud woman " proud of you.

https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/archana-vohra/shout-out-to-deepika-padukone/

Archana Vohra