Thank you Deepika Padukone for telling girls to never give up on dreams

Attempting to write about Deepika Padukone seems easy, but it isn’t. The internet doesn’t have a scarcity of pieces praising her – for her acting skills, her impeccable fashion sense and her nature of speaking up for all the right things and condemning the wrong. In what is definitely an illustrious career in Bollywood, her beginning was humble. Of course not humble since she debuted with King Khan- Shah Rukh Khan himself, but because a Godfather for her in the film industry was obviously the check box she left bank.

After the big debut, how Deepika became one of the most sought-after actresses of Bollywood is a tale that will be remembered in Bollywood’s history with love and inspiration. Years later she started off on another journey, all the way to the West and seemed to cast a spell on everyone. Her xXx‘ co-star Hollywood star Vin Diesel said he was glad the world was about to get another lovable star and he had a role to play in it.

But, today on her birthday, I don’t wish to pen down the successes that have come Deepika’s way. This piece isn’t about that but about a simple thing that the diva has taught millions of Indian girls- to dream. A celluloid appearance is a dream almost everyone cherishes but shun it as a far-fetched one. But Deepika didn’t. She is the daughter of Badminton star Prakash Padukone so taking up the sport as a career was both genetically beneficial for her and approachable as well. Only she didn’t take the easy path.

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Deepika set on a journey to films, a career that was full of uncertainty. Bollywood was/is never easy for an outsider. Roaring against the tides, Deepika made a mark for herself, engraved it deeply on cine lovers’ minds and proved diligence can go a long way. From being considered as Prakash Padukone’s daughter to the veteran Badminton player being called her father, Deepika turned norms- a dream many girls see but don’t achieve.

Keeping what she did in the acting field aside, Deepika told girls not to take shit from anyone. At a time when wardrobe malfunctions became a normal essence about Entertainment reporting, she put an end to it. We all remember, how she shut a leading daily for focussing on her cleavage and making a scandalous news out of it.

Also read: An open letter to Salman Khan fans on his 51st birthday

But the diva wasn’t done setting all the right examples by now. Not only girls but Indians, in general, have to thank Deepika for normalizing mental illness. By speaking about her fight with depression, Deepika broke probably the biggest taboo about it that successful people can’t be depressed.

She brought the discussion to the Indian dinner table, started a foundation for it and requested people to look out for their near and dear ones. Many a time, it has been argued that Deepika used depression to stay in limelight or paint a good picture for herself. But what if she did? At least her speaking up on the matter showed a way to million others who thought their mental illness was just a phase that would pass. Yes, Deepika used her stature, only to make people understand the severity of the problem.

Also read: No matter how much you hate Salman Khan, he is still the most popular Bollywood star on earth

So before taking out your swords to wield harsh words for Deepika, we should really appreciate all she has done for the young generation. The way many little girls’ faces light up on seeing her on screen, is a testimony that Deepika is not just an actress but an inspiration for them.

And for that, Thank You Ms. Padukone!