Deepika Padukone

“The fruit of your own hard work is the sweetest.”

“Yes, my life has changed in terms of the fame and the success, the number of eye balls on you all the time. I like to believe that it has not changed my ideology, the person that I am. I have people like Anna and my mom, my friends who tell me that.”

“I have a lot of friends, but my biggest fear is loneliness. I miss my family in Mumbai, and my biggest nightmare every day is to go back home alone.”

“People talk about physical fitness, but mental health is equally important. I see people suffering, and their families feel a sense of shame about it, which doesn't help. One needs support and understanding. I am now working on an initiative to create awareness about anxiety and depression and help people.”

“My parents never raised their hand or fired me. Their way of disciplining me was to tell me what is right or wrong.”

“I have fought my own battle with depression, and it was important for me to bring a little awareness about it for others.”

“When I finished 'Cocktail,' it took me a very long time to get out of Veronica's mindspace, behaviour, and zone. I had to reconnect with who I am. It is a similar story with 'Bajirao Mastani.' Some films demand that.”

“My character in 'Cocktail' was different from my personality. Homi Adajania took me to London, showed me how girls dress and behave there. I had not seen that kind of lifestyle before.”

“Diwali means family, so either I go down to Bangalore, or my family comes to Mumbai. I always ensure I take a few days off.”

“I've always believed that as actors, one of the biggest advantages of being in the film business - not just of being actors, but being in this industry - is the fact that you get to travel so much, and you get to see places that you probably would not if you went just as a tourist.”

“'Piku' was driven by subtleties. Most films come with the padding of the sound, the visual, the drama.”

“Relationships or not, I believe that people don't need to know about my life beyond a certain point.”

“I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think it's about following your instincts and doing a film for the right reason.”

“I am someone who can't hold on to negativity or hold on to grudges. I might feel something at a certain point, but I get tired after that. I don't carry it with me. I forgive and forget very easily, and that's the only way to be happy and peaceful.”

“I can't resist South Indian cuisine, particularly what is prepared at home. My mom is my favourite cook. She can cook a variety of cuisines. I savour her cooking at home, and she's undoubtedly the best.”

“At some level, I feel it is nice to know that a film of yours is doing well at the box office and has also got great reviews. That feels like success.”

“When you work on a film, it's important to feel that you are starting afresh and doing it for the first time. Also, it's important to have those butterflies in your stomach; you need to wonder how you are going to approach the character and whether you will be able to do justice to the part.”

“The best feeling is when you are remembered for the character you play on the screen and people associate you with that character. There is no better feeling than that feeling.”

“When I realized I was depressed, then I started reading up about it. When I read that one in four people are depressed, I felt that I'm not the only one. I also felt that how many people must be feeling suffocated to fight this battle all alone. I just wanted to reach out and tell them that even I'm like you, and it's okay if you feel like that.”

“I guess I learnt to appreciate old Hindi-movie music from my dad and somewhere down the line picked up jazz as well.”