With Padmaavat safely out on the film screens, Deepika Padukone can afford to look back at the ugliness that threatened to stall its release altogether. The film racked up immense controversy ever since it began shooting. From the sets being vandalized several times, to the director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was physically roughed up, to death threats issued against Deepika Padukone, the nightmare seemed unending.

Through it all, leading lady Deepika kept her strength and fortitude, speaking out against the mindless hate. Now, asked about how she handled this extremely trying phase, she reveals, “I don’t think anything went through my mind at that point. I am not someone who succumbs. I am someone who is extremely fearless, especially when you know you are doing something right.”

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Death threats can shake the best of them, but Deepika prefers not to dwell on it too much. She avers, “I think the only thing my parents were concerned about was that I am a single girl living in a city all by myself. At the same time, they had that thought and belief that I can take care of myself.”

During the course of an interview with a TV channel, she spoke movingly about her character of Rani Padmavati, whom she is clearly in awe of… “For me, it is a celebration of womanhood. A celebration of this women’s power and courage. There is something for all of us to learn from that. There is a lot that I put in the character and I have learnt a lot from this character. There is so much to be said, but with silence,” she added.

Back during the height of the threats and bounties on her head, Deepika had said that she would like to feel “safer and protected” at that point in time. She had been granted police protection after receiving multiple threats. While Padmaavat could not keep its scheduled December 1 release date, amidst efforts by various fringe groups to get it banned altogether, she had come out strongly in its defence. Terming the protests as “hurtful” and “sad”, she stated that it was disheartening that people didn’t recognize the power of cinema to unite and spread the love.

Well, they have no choice but recognize it now!