Deepika Padukone / Instagram

The new momma turning 39 is a milestone in many ways with her at the threshold of her forties, everyone wants to know what has she lined up for her ardent fans but Deepika isn't letting anything out. The actress is thoroughly enjoying being mommy to little Dua, and wants to take her time to get in front of the camera. So while she takes time out to enjoy this new phase of life, let us reminisce about some of the magical moments she has given Bollywood over the years.....

Ranveer Singh says it was overwhelming seeing his wife Deepika Padukone in Kalki 2858 because everything that they were experiencing in real life, came to life on screen too.

Deepika's pregnancy, the birth of their daughter filled up the whole of their social media feeds through 2024 giving their fans glimpses of their personal equation and making the whole nation go 'awww' and more than a few 'phews' at the same time. Considering it was only a few months prior to their big announcement that there were rumours about there being 'trouble in paradise' for the couple. But that's the life of a celebrity, everything and anything that they do or experience becomes public knowledge and dinner table discussion for the whole nation. Yet, there are many layers to our beautiful Deepika that are unknown to many, so let's unravel them together.

Born in Copenhagen, Prakash Padukone and his wife Ujjala's first born was always gorgeous and not-so-little one. Keeping with the common thread of 'light' that bound the couple, her parents named her Deepika. Tall and lean, she took to sports making her badminton genius dad extremely proud. Soon after, the family shifted to Bengaluru, where her sister Anisha was born. Very early in life, Deepika was noticed for her beauty, her dimples and of course, her long legs. Standing tall at 5'8", modeling was the obvious option.

Deepika's connection with the camera began at a young age. She appeared in several advertisements as a child actor, starting at just eight years old. However, it was her 2004 Liril soap commercial that truly caught everyone's attention. Starting at the whooping 2 lakh ($2,300) per assignment, Deepika shot to 50 lakhs ($57,000) annually, at the blink of an eye. With modeling assignments taking her all over the world, at the tender age of 19, Deepika started staying alone.

Atul Kasbekar was her mentor, who later signed her onto his management company. He was amazed at how effortlessly Deepika ended up looking gorgeous. She didn't know much about camera angles, how to 'catch the light' in the frame yet, there was not a single frame that she didn't illuminate. Seeing her inherent knack for modeling, it was Atul who suggested she try her hands at acting. However, Deepika's parents were rather unsure. Keeping with the erratic  schedules of her modeling career was tough, adding studies to it, was rather impossible. Thus, Deepika gave up on her dreams to be a sociology graduate post her 12th standard exams. This worried her parents as they were of the belief that academics are the only way forward for middle class people to get ahead in life.

Proving them wrong, Deepika debuted first with a Kannada film Aishwarya in 2006 and later cemented herself in Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan starrer Om Shanti Om. Unfortunately, the hyped debut had a lot of A-list detractors pulling Deepika down. Shobhaa De, a renowned journalist made it her one point agenda to bring Deepika tumbling down. From calling her extremely ordinary to look at, to labeling her a fake feminist... dismissing her battle with depression and more... Yet, Deepika persisted. She might have lost out on Saawariya with Sanjay Leela Bhansali but she gave her best to even a Chandani Chowk To China and Housefull. She overshadowed everyone in Cocktail and had senior actresses like Kareena Kapoor applaud her. That's Deepika Padukone for you.

In 2013, Deepika delivered four back-to-back blockbusters: Race 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Chennai Express, and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. These films not only established her box office dominance but also showcased her versatility as an actor. Her tryst as Sanjay Leela Bhansali's muse gained her a lot of appreciation too for her picturesque performances in films like Bajirao Mastani and Padmavat. The actress' first film post marriage was a film she produced on acid attack victims, that had her covering her face with scars, and delivered one of her most touching performances. Post Meghana Gulzar's Chhapaak she dismissed anyone who ever thought her success was courtesy her pretty face.

With her unbeaten chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan peaking in 2023, with films like Pathaan and Jawan - Deepika could easily be the only actress Alia Bhatt hasn't managed to overshadow. Speaking about the same on national television Alia Bhatt confessed she would not only love to borrow Deepika's long legs, she would also love her effortless charm.

Given they have Ranbir Kapoor in common, Alia Bhatt's compliments were rather heartfelt and lovely. But Deepika has learnt it the hard way to not consider anyone of her contemporaries as her friends. Be it Sonam Kapoor, Katrina Kaif or Anushka Sharma - Deepika maintains her friendship with just one person, her husband Ranveer Singh.

The two tied the knot in 2018, and have set couple goals for everyone since then. Their love story, their hyping one another, their togetherness - nothing is missed by the prying eyes of the social media trolls and yet, they haven't had anything to bring these two down. Despite the rumours that were floating about them once, the comments died with mere 'conjecture', neither Ranveer nor Deepika ever bothered to set the record straight, they merely went on a beach vacation silencing all the noise. That's how this non-Nepo, ranked outsider has constantly won hearts - spoken when she had to (like she did about her fight with depression), not bothering to do more than that otherwise.

With little Dua Padukone Singh, adding beauty, charm and babbles to the family - Deepika has hit perfection on another level.