Know all about Deepika
"I've always wanted to be a model. People had been telling me for years that I should audition and eventually enter the Miss India competition. I did a few campaigns when I was much younger, but then stopped to concentrate on my studies at school. Though modelling was just a hobby back then, I always knew I wanted to do it professionally", - Deepika Padukone.

Date of Birth: January 5, 1986

Height: 5'9"

City: Copenhagen, Denmark

Education: Sophia's High School, Bangalore and she did her undergraduate studies at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.

Favourite Sport: basketball, tennis, throw ball and baseball

Favorite style: For formal wear, it would be western-formal or the Indian sari. But on a day-to-day it's a mix of salwar and western casuals - jeans and t-shirt.

Favorite Perfume: Escada

Favorite Outfit: Saree

Favorite Fashion Designer: Manish Malhotra and Tarun Tahiliani

Favorite Fashion Choreographer: Alison Kanuga

Favorite Fashion Photographer: Atul Kasbekar

Hobbies: Music, eating, sleeping, watching movies.

Favourite actor: Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan

Favourite actress: Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen

Occupation: Model/Bollywood actress.

Debut Film: Kannada film Aishwarya and in Bollywood Om Shanti Om.

Languages Known: Tulu, Kannada, Hindi and English.

Acting Coach: Anupam Kher.

Favorite Book: Little Women and 'The Kite Runner' by Khalid Hosseini

Favorite Holiday Spot: The French Riviera

Favorite Cuisine: Thai

Favorite Drink: Nimbu Panni

Residence: Mumbai in Bandra, just bought her own house in 2007

Modelling career
As a child, she never wanted to be an actress. The hyperactive naughty little girl was fascinated by modelling, so much that she approached a particular agent repeatedly for an assignment but got rejected being way too young! Eventually she made it by hard work and sheer persistence.

She was seen modelling for Liril soap, Dabur Lal powder, Close-Up toothpaste and Limca. She also became brand ambassador of the Jewels of India, an annual jewellery exhibition. She hit the international scene when Maybelline made her their new international covergirl.

At the fifth annual Kingfisher Fashion Awards, for Indian models and designers, she was awarded the title Model of the Year. Shortly afterwards, she was chosen as one of the models for the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar for 2006. She also won two trophies at the Idea Zee Awards in 2006 - Female Model of the year (Commercial Assignments) and Fresh Face of the year. She recently did a commercial for Moods. She is a brand ambassador for Kingfisher Airlines.

With the release of Om Shanti Om, Deepika won millions of hearts worldwide. She is currenty the most sizzling and glamorous actress in Bollywood and is working her way to the top.

Last week on Spotlight: Ranbir Kapoor