Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone was born in 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her modeling career started off with advertisements campaigns for Liril Soap, Close-Up toothpaste and Limca etc. After that she received many celebrated modeling contracts that included brand ambassadorship of the Jewels of India, an annual jewelry exhibition. But she came into prominence with the advertisement for Maybelline. The prestigious cosmetic company made her their new international cover face.

Deepika was honored with the title of the ‘Model of the Year’ at the fifth annual Kingfisher Fashion Awards for Indian models and designers. She was also the chosen face for the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar for 2006. Deepika also won two trophies at the Idea Zee Filmfare Awards in 2006- Female Model of the Year and Fresh Face of the Year. These laurels elevated and established her status from a model to a supermodel.

After gaining immense success on the ramp, Deepika has made a foray in the Bollywood. She made her debut in a music video for “Naam Hai Tera”, a song from the pop album Aap Ka Suroor, an album by the well-known Bollywood singer and composer Himesh Reshammiya. She inaugurated her career in movies with a Kannada film ‘Aishwarya’ which is directed by the famous director Indrajit Lankesh. In the movie she had with her the versatile Kannada actor, Upendra. Deepika’s first film has already proved to be a hit at the box-office. Her performance in the movie is widely acclaimed.

Recently Deepika has signed three Hindi movies- ace director Pritadarshan’s forthcoming film, Pirate, Farah Khan’s second directorial venture ‘Om Shanti Om’ and Rakesh Omprakash Mehra’s 'Delhi 6’. All the three movies will hit the theater in this year (2007). But while millions await to watch the glamorous damsel’s work in three phenomenal directors project, Deepkia rejects all claims of working with Priyadarshan. According to her she has never even come across this South Indian director. The Liril girl is even silent about working with Farah Khan and Omprakash Mehra. It is also heard that Deepika has agreed to do a Tamil film named Vaaranam Aayiram. The film directed by Gautham Menon has casted the actor Surya against Deepika.

Currently Deepika is in the news because of her links with the socialite and upcoming model Nihar Pandya who is known for his bit role in Himesh Reshammiya’s music video “I love oo Sayoni”. It is said that Deepika had advocated Nihar’s name for the role.