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Reigning princess and queen in the making… from playing the sophisticated and spoilt rich girl in Cocktail to mouthing the unlettered “Dance ek aaawwwtt hai, aaawwwtt!” in Happy New Year, she sprinted across the spectrum with grace and aplomb, becoming the darling of the classes and the masses in a short span of 7 years.
But this dimpled, leggy lass had her own learning curve, and the path had enough thorns along the way. Deepika shone through her setbacks and constructively built her life on her failures with sheer grit and determination. Let’s see the many ways she is inspirational to every woman in every space.
You can do it!
Bollywood was introduced in 2007 to this long-legged beauty in all her rawness and innocence, acting opposite none other than King Khan in Om Shanti Om. The world was charmed off its feet but the critics trashed her acting skills, using the age-old cliché - Models can’t act.
The 20-year-old first showed determination then, when movie after movie she honed her acting prowess and shut her detractors up for good.
Lesson Buzzwords: Determination. Focus. Hard Work.
When the fairy tale crashes
Soon after, love arrived in the form of the dashing young scion of the first family of Bollywood, Ranbir Kapoor. The couple was one of the most in-love couples in 2008. But it was not to be… a year later, cracks appeared and it all came down like a house of cards.
Along with all the paraphernalia of breakup that they had to deal with, there was the fact that they were celebs and the situation was under the scanner. It was a blow to Deepika, as she had been head-over-heels in love, having gone to the extent of etching RK's name on the nape of her neck. But RK had moved on, leaving a distraught Deepika to pick up the pieces.
Pick up, she did! Instead of hiding somewhere and waiting for the storm to pass, she chose to continue working and look at life positively. In the next two years, Deepika went on to deliver massive hits and become the highest paid actress in Bollywood.
Lesson Buzzwords: Breathe. Work. Make a mark.
To err is human
In 2010, on Karan Johar’s show, Deepika killed Ranbir for not having been loyal in the relationship. Raw from the wounds of the breakup, an agonising Deepika went to town about Ranbir’s dalliances. The outburst was a topic of discussion in every drawing room in the country. She had been wronged and the fans understood that.
And yet, in the face of all this, Ranbir maintained stoic silence and grace. This one was a lesson for Deepika herself. She realised she hadn’t been kind to the man she had so deeply loved. And she was about to change all that… in only a way that she could -- Deepika and Ranbir were to become best friends in time to come!
Lesson Buzzwords: Self Respect. Respect for others. Grace.
Depression is normal
Two years after the breakup, Deepika was doing exceedingly well at the marquee. But something within her had been crumbling. In an interview with NDTV, she said, “It all started on February 15 last year. I'd won all my awards and all the appreciation for 2013 and everything had happened. It was a great time. But I woke up one morning, just feeling empty. I woke up feeling directionless. I didn't know where to go. I didn't know what to do.”
Deepika not only overcame her depression but also went open with it to the world, a first in a country where it’s considered harakiri to admit something of that sort. Simply because she thought it would help others. “This really is not about me right now, it's really about the lives that, hopefully, we will impact. Even if we can impact one life or save that one person from taking their life because they're just so down and out, I think we've achieved what we wanted to,” she said. “I would not have been able to come out of this if I didn't have my mum, my friends, my father who spoke to me and said it's ok to go to a doctor, it's ok to go to a psychologist, it's ok to take medication.”
Lesson Buzzwords: Courage. Compassion. Fighting Spirit.
Besties with the Worstie
The same year saw Deepika becoming best friends with Ranbir with the release of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. The movie broke all records and so did Deepika, building a thick friendship with her ex… one that became much talked about and a source of inspiration to many. Deepika again became a trendsetter for women breaking up.
Ranbir Kapoor said in an interview, “I’ll be the godfather to Deepika’s kids” and Deepika claimed at Karan Johar's b’day bash, “I was there for him, and I’ll always be there for him.” They became a classic example of how to establish friendship and professionalism even after your relationship has hit the rocks.
Their chemistry was creating hits and Deepika chose to let the relationship shine with its highest potential, even if it wasn’t what she had planned for her life.
Lesson Buzzword: Maturity. Prudence. Foresight.
Get your wit about you
The importance of humour in a situation cannot be overemphasised. More so for celebrities, who face unexpected questions in every interview and are quoted everywhere. A reporter recently asked Deepika what Ranvir Singh’s thoughts were regarding the RK tattoo on her neck and she quipped, “Why, does the nation want to know?”
The young actress has chosen to grow in each and every aspect of her life and personality, including having her wits about her in impromptu interactions. That kind of growth paves the way to superstardom for the long haul and she seems poised for it.
Lesson Buzzwords: Learn. Grow. Laugh (at yourself).
All of 28, this young diva has become a sort of life coach on How to Do it Right in every sphere of a young woman’s existence. There’s definitely a leaf in her book for me… and definitely one for you!
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