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I don’t have an issue marrying an actor: Deepika

    • 51 posts
    April 8, 2014 7:32 AM IST
    Deepika Padukone may be the most beautiful girl for many, but for her father Prakash Padukone, nothing beats Madhuri Dixit's beauty and grace. Deepika may seem calm and poised to many, but her father feels she can become an even better human being if she could control her temper even more. And while Deepika beats him hollow in popularity, he believes she still has to match his success of having becoming the World's No. 1 badminton player in 1980. Prakash Padukone, 58, and daughter Deepika, 27, in a first ever conversation exclusively with the Bombay Times. Excerpts:

    In conversation with Prakash Padukone:

    How did you become a badminton player?
    We are Saraswat Brahmins and speak Konkani. My father used to work in Mumbai in the early 50s and introduced badminton to Karnataka when he came and settled in Bangalore as he was a national level coach and umpire. I was born and brought up in Bangalore and was introduced to badminton at the age of six. I played for my country, but all my other three siblings have also played for the state. We would play in a small marriage hall. Six months the hall would be booked for marriages when we could not play and would play other sports but at other times we would play when it was free. Both my grandparents were also sportsmen and so the sports culture was there in our family. In 1980, I won the All England championship and became the world no 1 in badminton. The championship is more than 100 years old and whoever won that was considered the unofficial World No. 1. I am grateful to my father as at that time the game was not popular, there was no money despite that he allowed me to pursue it as a sport and take it up on a professional basis. My victory changed the face of Indian badminton in terms of visibility, sponsorship, tournaments and awareness. When I went to Bangalore, the state organised a reception for me where I was taken on an open jeep from the airport to the Vidhana Soudha with people lined up through the 8 kms way. It was a great feeling. After having become the best player in the world, I remember I played the national championship in which I lost. Despite being the world's no 1, I had lost the national championship first time after nine years. I was very disappointed but quickly got back and realised that in sports sometimes you lose and sometimes you win so you can't get excited about either and can neither feel excited after a victory nor sulk after a defeat. I got married to my second cousin Ujjala soon after and we moved to Copenhagen as I found a job there and lived there till 1986 when Deepika was born. I retired in 1989.

    ALSO READ: Deepika Padukone chooses Bajirao Mastani over Shuddhi

    How have you managed to remain so grounded?
    I didn't need to make an effort as it came naturally to me because of my parents and hopefully, we have passed it on to our daughters. I am quiet and don't like to be in the public eye. I am introverted with a limited friends with whom I am very close to. I like to be by myself and am happy doing that. I am totally a Bangalorean, low profile and down-to-earth, much like the culture is down South.

    Who are you most attached to?
    My wife, though we are totally different. While I am an introvert, she likes to make friends. And we have tried to take the good points from each other. As a family, we are all very organised and it comes from her. Anytime you come to our place there, anybody can just walk in and the house will be spick and span. I give her the credit for holding the family together and disciplining our daughters. It's not easy to handle two celebrities in the house each with their own tantrums and egos. While I don't know how to cook, I help in washing, dusting, putting away the clothes and shopping. I retired when Deepika was three years old and gave her enough time but my daughters are closer to the mother and talk to her more. I don't talk so much and that is a complaint from my wife and also from my daughters. It's not that I do it intentionally, but from the beginning, I talk less. I share less. I don't get angry but I also don'

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