Deepika Padukone Wanted To Become A World Famous Model

Deepika Padukone gets candid about current beau Ranbir Kapoor and former boyfriends Nihar Pandya and Yuvraj Singh

• Let me not start by asking about your personal life lest you become uncomfortable. Did you always want to become an actress?
No.
I always wanted to become a world-famous model after which I had
planned to become an interior designer before getting married and
settling down. But when a few of my advertisements became very popular,
I started getting lot of film offers. So I decided to try my hand at
films. Now, of course, I can't even think of doing interior designing.

• Tell us about your forthcoming films.
I
have finished Yash Raj film's Bachna Ae Haseenon, which is directed by
Siddharth Anand. Siddharth's film is a romantic comedy and I play one
of the three girls who comes in the hero's (Ranbir Kapoor) life. I have
started shooting for Nikhil Advani's film, Chandni Chowk to China. It
is an action film which requires me to learn jijitsu (a form of martial
arts).I will soon start shooting for Imtiaz Ali's film with Saif Ali
Khan.

• Is Akshay teaching you jujitsu for Chandni Chowk to China? What do you think of him?
No,
Akshay is not teaching me jijitsu. Professional trainers from China are
teaching us jijitsu. But yes, Akshay is full of energy on the sets. He
tends to improvise a lot, which increases the output in every scene.

• Will you do bold scenes?
I will see if I am comfortable. I'll cross the bridge when it comes. As of now, I wouldn't like to list down the dos and don'ts.

• Recently, Farah Khan complained that you hadn't kept in touch with her after Om Shanti Om?
I
visited her in the hospital when she delivered her triplets. Yes, I may
have not kept in touch as much as other people do or as much as she
expected me to. But honestly, I think of her every day. I even wished
her on her birthday. Whenever we speak, it's just like we have spoken
yesterday. I don't know why a section of the media reported that I
haven't stayed in touch with Farah and blew it out of proportion.

• Have you kept in touch with Shah Rukh Khan?
Yes. I am in touch with him for work reasons. I often meet him socially too.

• Has your life style changed after OSO?
Nothing
about me has changed as a person. I still talk the same way as I did in
my college days. I still dress the same as I did three years ago. The
only thing that has changed is that I have shifted base from Bangalore
to Mumbai. I recently bought my own house at Bandra. I interact with
people like I used to earlier and people's attitude towards me has not
changed either (pauses). Hmmm... maybe a few friends have drifted away
but my true friends whom I trust are still with me. Today, I am very
happy.

• Aha! You have a great reason to be happy. Your man (Ranbir) recently admitted that he is in love with you...
(Blushes) Yes, Ranbir and I are seeing each other. So sorry as the media will not have gossip to write about me anymore

• But you two were in a relationship and then broke up, and now you are together again?
No.
It wasn't like that. Whenever Ranbir and I met, the media started
speculating. Love is the most beautiful emotion in the world. Why would
we hide it if we were in love then? You see, we used to meet often but
that was because we were getting to know each other better. After a
certain time, we drifted apart because we both got busy with our
respective shooting schedules. Today, we realise that we are compatible
with each other. So, we have no qualms in telling the world that we are
in love.

• So, when did it happen? I mean, when did you both realise that you love each other?
(Smiles) We realised it when we were shooting for Siddharth's film in Australia.

• There's so much written about your personal life, may be more than your professional life?
Initially,
it used to disturb my parents a lot. But now, they have realised that
it's a part of my profession. Today, everything is sorted out. Ranbir
and my parents know what exactly is happening and they are very happy.

• What went wrong between you and Yuvraj Singh?
I
don't want to talk about that. If two people are spending time together
and having dinner in a restaurant, why does it make front page news?
Aren't there more important issues in the world? But like I said, my
family and I are getting used to all this.

• Are you saying that there was nothing between you and Yuvraj?
I am not commenting on my past. I am very happy right now in my relationship with Ranbir.

• Are you in touch with your ex-boyfriend Nihar Pandya?
Yes. His parents have taken care of me and treated me like family. I am in touch with Nihar and his parents.

• Kareena Kapoor is upset with Imtiaz Ali
for signing you and not her with Saif Ali Khan? She openly said it on a
stage in an award ceremony, few days ago?
(Smiles)
Absolutely. If an actor has a hit film with a certain director, he/she
is naturally keen to work with the same director again. But I am sure
that Imtiaz will have enough work for her, me and other actresses as
well.

• Are you and Kareena okay with each other? After all, she is Ranbir's cousin...
Oh, yeah. We are fine with each other and we have met many times.

• So, what next?
Well, I am shooting for a long time abroad and won't be free until July.

• No Ranbir till then?!
(Laughs)
Well, we still have a song that we have to shoot for Siddharth's film;
it will be shot in Venice. And then, there's the phone. The phone bills
have increased, but that's natural. We want to spend every free moment
with each other.