Happy New Year Makes Deepika Padukone Recall Om Shanti Om

After starting her career with Shahrukh Khan's Om Shanti Om seven years ago, actress Deepika Padukone feels her upcoming project Happy New Year is like a homecoming.

Happy New Year, releasing this Diwali, is again co-produced by Farah and Shahrukh and the actor will be seen romancing Deepika in it.

"Happy New Year is a homecoming for me. The way they (Shahrukh and Farah) made me feel has brought back the memories of Om Shanti Om. Even the way she calls me 'Baby' and I call her 'Maa'. Farah takes certain liberty with me and so do I. The way we talk to each other is special. In fact, a lot of time we would sit together and remember old times. They are family," Deepika said in a group interview.

The film Happy New Year is directed by Farah and has ensemble cast of Abhishek Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani and Viaan Shah apart from Shahrukh and Deepika. Deepika says she feels her career is safe in the hands of the choreographer-filmmaker and SRK.

"They gave me such a beautiful launch in the industry and presented me so well. They took the responsibility and understood that this girl's career is in our hand," she said.

Deepika, 28, said she was the last one to join the multi-starrer. "When I just finished Chennai Express I got a call from Farah Khan and she asked me for Happy New Year'. The film happened at the last moment and my dates were free I am happy that I fit because at that time even Imtiaz Ali's film also shifted," Deepika said, adding that she is happy to be a part of Happy New Year even though the role was initially not offered to her.

In Happy New Year, Deepika plays a Marathi bar dancer. "Mohini Joshi is the character's name who is a bar dancer. She enjoys dancing and she worships dance. She and Abhishek's character Nandu have grown up together. I become the teacher of the gang and I teach them to dance once they come together. Mohini is the only member of her family who earns," the actress said.

PTI