Hollywood is not something that I chased, says Deepika Padukone

The last time we met was more than half a year back. This time, I head to meet Deepika Padukone in Madrid straight from the airport, sleep-deprived for almost a whole day. Trying to spare her the horror (of my red eyes), I hide them under a pair of Aviators. I walk in and she immediately tells me, “Take off your glasses, let me see your face.” After a round of casual jokes and some funny one-liners, we sit down for a candid chat — on going global, her Hollywood dream and her unbeatable stint at the top. Excerpts:

You make your Hollywood debut soon... 

It kind of fell in place like anything else in my life. I think sometimes, certain things happen when they are supposed to. It’s definitely not something that I chased, rather it just fell into my lap. I was made an offer, I read the script, I loved the part and most importantly, I thought it would be a fun experience. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, it’s a Hollywood film, so I should do something differently’.

With you and Priyanka Chopra getting full-fledged parts in a Hollywood film, don’t you think it will open a bigger window for other Indian actors as well?

I hope so. I have been offered roles in Hollywood films in the past as well. But I don’t think I was ready then. Over here, you have to look at everything you get as an opportunity. There is no role so small or too big. It’s what you make of a role or of that chance which defines it. Sometimes, even the smallest part teaches you a lot and can be an amazing experience. I do feel lucky that I got the opportunity with xXx. It’s not about the size of the role, but the opportunity.

Anything you did in the West, which you miss doing here?

The one thing I enjoyed doing the most while I was away, was doing my laundry myself. (Laughs) And I’m serious about it. There’s a lot more structure in their timings, which allows you your weekends. I was very happy. I would go grocery shopping, I would cook and I would do my own laundry. I love doing all that myself.

Did you find any similarities between the two industries?

Actually, a lot! I want to take this opportunity to say that I didn’t find anything glaringly different. This speaks volumes about the strength of the Indian film industry today. I think we’ve constantly evolved over the years. We have the independent producer system and then, in the last couple of years, we had big studios coming in. Then there’s the kind of movies we’re making or the content in our films or the different types of female-centric subjects we are touching. The fact that after doing three different Hindi films in the same year, I went there to shoot or a Hollywood film for four months and other than the team being different, I felt exactly the same, says a lot about where we stand today as a nation and the kind of things we are making. It’s truly, truly global.

Did you stay in a rented apartment there?

It is a little bit of a personal detail, but I’ll still tell you that I did rent an apartment. (Laughs) I feel it’s always nicer to do that when you stay away for so long. You want to come back, and make a certain space which is your own. Sometimes, you just want to cook something or wash your clothes. I took my candles with me, my photo-frames, all my sambar and rasam powders, all other masalas with me.

What did you cook the most?

I cooked all the South Indian food that I could because there were a lot of Indian restaurants, so North Indian food wasn’t a problem to get there. But I couldn’t find South Indian food too easily. So every time, someone came to visit me, I asked them t carry food for me.

This is possibly the first year in recent times that you won’t have any B-Town release. Given you are at the peak, do you feel bad?

Ya, but this is the way I look at it. For me, xXx is not different from any other movie I have done. Other than the fact it was shot abroad. In every other way, it’s exactly an Indian movie. And it’s okay. I have always made my choices based on content and instinct. I will do something which I will do is right for me and my career. I didn’t come across something that is exciting enough. Having said that, I have signed my next movie and start filming in September.

Are you looking at other Hollywood films as well?

 I don’t look at it as Hollywood or Bollywood. If I find some role challenging or exciting in the West, I will take it up, for sure.