Deepika Padukone is one of the most loved actors in the industry. She started her career at the age of 19. After doing a couple of music videos including Himesh Reshammiya’s song Naam Hai Tera, and modelling assignments, she made her dream debut alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om.

Who doesn’t remember her iconic wave? Deepika earned a massive fan following with her role and made way straight into the hearts of the audiences.

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However, it wasn’t a cake walk. She opened up recently on how she was ridiculed for her accent and how she was mocked when she was just 21 years old. 

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‘There was also a section of people who scathingly criticised my work–Oh she is a model. she cannot act: My accent was made fun of. A lot was said and written about me and my craft, and, the truth is, all of it was extremely hurtful. When you are all of 21, these kind of brickbats most certainly affect you,’ she told India Today.

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But Deepika was never bogged down with criticism. 

‘Criticism fuels me. It fuels me to work harder, to improve my skills and evolve the carious aspects of my craft. More importantly, it fuels my personal evolution. Failure, too, has taught me a lot. I have often been put down, even written off. But I have never been bitter about these experiences. In fact. I am grateful’.

Deepika is one of the most sought after actresses in Bollywood, but she has had her share of ups and downs too. She has often talked about her depression phase in order to motivate other people to seek help.

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For the unversed, Padukone was diagnosed with depression in 2014. Her own battle inspired her to set up Live, Love, Laugh Foundation in 2015 to support others undergoing the same situation.

She had once said, ‘The toughest part in the journey for me was not understanding what I was feeling. Just having the diagnoses in itself felt like a massive relief.’

She was last seen in Meghna Gulzar’s Chhapaak, in which she essayed the role of an acid attack survivor. She will next be seen in Ranveer Singh starrer 83, which is based on 1983 world cup win.