In 2014, Deepika Padukone was diagnosed with depression. After the diagnosis, she realised that there was a stigma attached to mental health conditions in India, making it difficult for those who need counselling or treatment to obtain help. Her experience led her to start The Live Love Laugh Foundation in 2015. TLLLF has conducted school awareness programmes for preteens and teenagers; supported a rural mental health programme that offers free mental health care, medication, ongoing psychiatric treatment and vocational training; and launched two nationwide campaigns to highlight mental health awareness. The latter campaign, titled “Not Ashamed”, inspired a hashtag that is still used to this day by people sharing their stories related to mental health and well-being.

2. She was once a professional badminton player

Deepika’s father, Prakash Padukone, was a professional badminton player, and Deepika followed in his footsteps. She played at the national championships as a teenager, but then left the sport to pursue her passion for modelling. She said she realised she was only playing sports because it “ran in the family”. It probably helped that her father was not upset by her decision to abandon his preferred career option, so she could follow her own dreams.

3. She sells items from her wardrobe

Deepika Padukone set up a “wardrobe” on her website to allow fans to buy some of her favourite wardrobe items and accessories. The dresses, jackets, purses and other items for sale are all from fashion brands such as Alexander McQueen, Dolce and Gabbana, Nike, Abercrombie and Finch, Gucci and Zara. Proceeds from the sale go to The Live Love Laugh Foundation.

4. She is very close to her family

Deepika Padukone is close to her family, and regularly visits them in her hometown of Bangalore. She admits to missing them – while confessing that the fact that she has “a life of her own” makes the separation easier to bear. She has said she wouldn’t want them to uproot from their hometown just to be with her.

5. Success in the modelling and film industries didn’t come easy

Reaching the pinnacle of her industry was not straightforward for Deepika Padukone. It took nearly four years for her to become a successful, full-time model. And Farah Khan, the first director to give Deepika Padukone the opportunity to act in a Bollywood film, almost kicked her off the set during filming because he was so annoyed with her.

Deepika Padukone has had to work long and hard for success in her personal life and professional careers. And the resulting victories have blessed her fans as well as many others she has helped via her charity work. One cannot help but wish her well on her journey.

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