Do you know who Deepika Padukone’s off-screen hero is? No, it’s not Ranveer Singh. On Wednesday, netizens woke up to a cute picture posted by the actor, which soon went viral. It was a childhood picture showing her sitting on the lap of her father, Prakash Padukone. Occasion? His birthday. She said, “To the greatest off-screen hero I could have ever had! Thank You for showing us that being a true champion is not only about one’s professional achievements, but also about being a good human being!Happy 65th Birthday, Pappa ! We love you!”
The message sparked a flood of wishes from various fan groups of the father-daughter, wishing ‘Papa Padukone’ on his birthday. Known for his simplicity, Padukone is the reason many took up the sports as a career. One such Bengaluru-bred badminton player, Anup Sridhar, says it was Padukone’s humility that touched him the most. “I was not at all star struck when I met him for the first time.
I know it might sound insane but I was too young to realise who he was. But I was taken aback by his simplicity. Despite his many achievements, he is still a grounded person,” says the Olympian. He says the words from Padukone that have always stayed with him are, “Always under-promise and over-deliver. One should do their work silently and let it speak for itself.”