I don’t drink or smoke…see?” grins Deepika, flashing her untainted pearly whites at me. We are gorging on generous helpings of hot-n-sour crab soup and fried rice with chicken at one of her favourite haunts, Royal China.
Dining out and watching films feature high on her list of social outings, but bar-hopping and wild nights out hold no appeal for this somewhat reticent homebody. “I basically enjoy relaxing in my house and playing board games with my gang of 15-20 friends…they come over to my place every few days and we have a fabulous time.”

Her place literally means ‘her’ place – a home in Bandra, bought with her earnings recently, at the age of 21. She shrugs when I wonder at this fact. “I bought myself a car when I was 19,” she says, quietly alluding to her very independent lifestyle.
Moving away from the comfort of her parents’ nest in Bangalore at such an early age could not have been easy. But, other than a frequent craving “for something as simple as dal chawal or South Indian food”, this cool-headed youngster has had a smooth transition to Mumbai life. “My mother was the one who was dependent on me rather than the other way around. Even now, when I visit, there is a list prepared of the things I need to get done with her!”

Besides which, there is a constant support system available if needed. “My mom is originally from Mumbai, so I have many close relatives around…her father and sister live here, as also my dad’s sister.”
Deepika’s calm and unruffled demeanour has crowned her the ultimate professional, especially in an industry laden with starry tantrums, tardy walk-ins and an unwillingness to veer from a fixed style. The Deepika I know has always been quick, quiet and seamlessly in sync with any look she projects. From the time Verve showcased her as Wendell Rodricks’ fashion muse to our December 2006 cover where she came sensually alive in a gold Shahab Durazi gown, to this October cover, where her beatific visage exudes a Mona Lisa-like feel…besides a growing sense of comfort which makes her more talkative, nothing else has changed.

“Please use this picture on the cover!” she squeals excitedly, on seeing some of the shortlisted images. And that’s the extent of her divaesque demands.
This rising star has always set her sights firmly on attaining fame, right from her modelling days as a child to the present, a few weeks before her much-touted blockbuster, Om Shanti Om, hits the marquee. “There was a phase when I wanted to be a Miss India. But then I set myself a different challenge, that of becoming a supermodel and touring the International Fashion Weeks’ circuit. The music videos that I did were an aberration; a shift from my plan to do something unique. But they brought me closer to the masses and helped get me to where I am today, so I’m not complaining!”

Maybe this need to make an individual mark stemmed from always being the centre of attention? After all, father Prakash Padukone’s fame as a top-notch badminton player would have filtered down to her. “Possibly”, she muses. “Though my life at home was normal, I would always stand out for my being who I was at school.”
A move to sports would have been natural for this one-time track athlete and kick-boxing student. “I did spend my childhood years playing badminton with my dad and grandfather and then moved on to basketball and state level baseball. But none of them were my cup of tea, really.”

The sports bug seems to have bitten the younger sibling though, “My sister is working towards becoming a professional golf player.”
Dance has been another defining influence for Deepika. Jazz, Bharat Natyam (“in my modelling days, this dance training gave me grace and poise; today, it helps to keep me fit”), Kathak; the lissome lass firmly believes in the positive impact of extra-curricular activities. “I think it’s very important for all kids to learn some form of sport, dance and music.”
It’s held her in good stead; we should all look forward to some deft histrionics in her debut film, where her role has been moulded along the lines of yesteryear’s dancing queen, Hema Malini.