DEEPIKA TURNS 36

NEW DELHI: Fondly called the ‘Queen of hearts’, superstar Deepika Padukone turned 36 on Wednesday. As the actor turns a year older, let’s revisit some of the diverse character portrayals that Deepika has put in front of the viewers.

‘Om Shanti Om’: Who can forget the gorgeous dimpled millennial star Shanti Priya, clad in the poppin pink coloured saree, waving at her fans? This 2007 movie marked the debut of Deepika in Hindi cinema.

‘Chennai Express’: The 2013 romantic-comedy directed by Rohit Shetty proved to be a career-changing movie for Deepika. The film stars her as a South-Indian girl (Meena) who runs away from home in order to protect herself from getting married forcefully. The film broke several box office records in India and abroad. It surpassed ‘3 Idiots’ (2009) to become the highest-grossing Bollywood film worldwide at that point. It is among the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time worldwide.

‘Ram Leela’: The 2013 film directed by ace filmmaker Sanja Leela Bhansali is a tragic romance film with a loose adaptation of the 1961 film ‘West Side Story’. It stars Deepika and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles. The film was a blockbuster hit and also was the set where reel-to-real love between Ranveer and Deepika emerged. The duo dated for more than 4 years and tied the knot in 2018.

‘Bajirao Mastani’: The 2015 Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie is an epic historical romance film starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles. ‘Bajirao Mastani’ has also been noted for its scale, grandeur and attention to detail. It is one of the most expensive Hindi films, a major commercial success and one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.

‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’: The 2013 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Ayan Mukherjee stars Deepika as Naina and Ranbir Kapoor as Kabir in the lead roles. Since its release in 2013, the film has gone on to achieve cult status.

‘Piku’: Shoojit Sircar’s 2015 comedy-drama film stars Deepika, Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan in the lead roles. The film was nominated for Best Film in the 61st Filmfare Awards, as well as other categories. Deepika also won her second Filmfare Award for Best Actress.