Deepika Padukone was heartbroken when her accent was ridiculed in Om Shanti Om: ‘When you are 21, these brickbats affect you’

Deepika Padukone, who was criticised by a section of the audience for her accent in Om Shanti Om, has said a lot was written about her and her craft, and if was very hurtful.

Deepika Padukone has opened up about her “dream debut” Om Shanti Om, which not just brought her a lot of love and appreciation but also harsh criticism for her accent and her acting. The actor made her acting debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the Farah Khan directorial that went on to become a blockbuster.

Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan on the sets of Om Shanti Om.

The actor called it “hugely daunting” to enter the film industry at the age of 19, and said, “I was extremely raw and unaware, but Shah Kukh Khan and Farah Khan held my hand and guided me throughout the entire process.”

Talking about the criticism that came her way, she told India Today in an essay on life changing moments, “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.”

The actor however, didn’t get bogged down by criticism and failure. She added, “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.” She credits her “upbringing and sporting background” which enables her to sail through all of it.

Deepika was last seen in Meghna Gulzar’s Chhapaak, in which she played the role of an acid attack survivor. she has called it one of the toughest roles of her career.

She will now be seen opposite husband Ranveer Singh in their fourth film together, 83. While Ranveer is in the role of veteran cricketer Kapil Dev, she plays his wife Romi Dev in the film. Deepika is currently working on Shakun Batra’s next, also featuring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ananya Panday. She will also be uniting with Shah Rukh in his next, Pathan. She has also signed a sci-fi film opposite Baahubali star Prabhas.

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