Negativity is sometimes a good thing: Deepika

Bollywood star reflects on early criticism, urges self love

In a recent conversation during the Live Love Laugh lecture series, actor Deepika Padukone opened up about the challenges she faced following the release of her debut film, Om Shanti Om, in 2007. Despite the film being a commercial success, some critics questioned her "talent and capabilities," even mocking her accent and diction. It's worth noting that Deepika's voice was dubbed by another artiste in Farah Khan's film.

Speaking with media mogul Arianna Huffington, Deepika recalled the harsh feedback she received, stating, "When my debut movie Om Shanti Om released, there were quite a few bad reviews, but I specifically remember this one bad review which pushed me to work on myself. It spoke about my accent, my diction, my talent and capabilities. Negativity is sometimes a good thing; it's what you make of it. The larger picture is what do you do with that criticism, how do you look at it positively."

This reflection comes at a time when Deepika is facing online criticism for her dialogue delivery in the trailer for Singham Again, a multi-starrer action comedy in which she plays a police officer.

Deepika also highlighted the significance of self-love during her chat, addressing societal perceptions around prioritising personal well-being. "For someone who makes time for themselves, or takes a weekend off, people think that person is not driven, which I find so bizarre."

"If someone needs downtime or time for themselves, they think this person is not motivated enough so let's look for someone who is ready to burn the midnight oil, because that person is hardworking, so committed. For me, it comes from being an athlete, that you need your rest, you need your recovery to perform better," she explained.

In a 2022 interview with Variety, the actor spoke about her Bollywood debut and how she had her first experience "served on a platter". "I remember just sitting at the edge of the sofa, being so nervous, and almost in a daze. I couldn't even process what was happening," revealed Deepika about her first time on a film set after she was scouted by a producer during her modelling days. "They never auditioned me," she shared, adding, "Even today, I look at [the director, Farah Khan,] and I'm like, 'What were you guys thinking?'"