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Race 2 babe Deepika Padukone opens up about competition in Bollywood in an exclusive interview where she also talks about working with Saif Ali Khan again on Race 2

Deepika Padukone, whose father was a badminton champion, uses the spirit of sportsmanship while working in filmdom and says she knows how to be competitive in a positive manner. One of the A-list actors of Bollywood today, she has some good projects in hand like Chennai Express with Shahrukh Khan and Rana with Southern Superstar Rajinikanth.

“I think there are two ways to look at it. Everybody doesn’t get to do each and every film. I don’t compete with others; I compete with myself. I have been an athlete, a sportsperson, so I know how to be competitive in a healthy way,” said Deepika, a former badminton player. Her father Prakash Padukone was a national badminton champion and won the coveted All-England badminton crown.

This year she had only one release, the commercially successful Cocktail. She says it is difficult to predict what will work at the box office. “Many a time, a most predictable film doesn’t work, while the least expected films click at the box office. So everything is in the hands of the audience. I don’t demarcate any film. If a film does well and gets into the Rs 100 crore club, well and good. But I want the audience to appreciate my quality of work,” she said.

Her forthcoming film is Race 2, in which she has teamed up with Saif Ali Khan yet again after working with him in hits like Love Aaj Kal, Aarakshan and Cocktail. She hopes movie buffs appreciate their chemistry in the the fast-paced thriller. “Saif is fun to work with. We have worked in four films together and I share a comfort level with him. The most exciting part is that all the four films are completely different from one another. He is a very spontaneous actor. You never know what to expect from him. The audience has liked our chemistry before and, hopefully, they will appreciate it again in Race 2,” she said and clarified that they never planned to work together; “it just happened”.

Race 2 is a multi-starrer with big names like Anil Kapoor and John Abraham vying for space.

Asked what prompted her to be a part of the film, Deepika said, “I really liked Race and that excited me to be part of the film. Besides, I like the working style of Abbas Mustan. The character that I play in the film is also different. I play a very manipulative and aggressive woman, which I have not played before.”

Race 2 may be a sequel to 2008 hit Race, but for Deepika it is “an independent film”. “Yes, there is a flow in the story but I joined the crew in Race 2, so it doesn’t affect my work anyway,” she added.

In the film, the 26-year-old has some steamy and bold scenes with Saif. Was she comfortable doing them? “It’s not about being comfortable or uncomfortable; I consider each and every scene the same way. For me, each and every scene stands out and I approach it in the same way.”

Race 2 also features Jacqueline Fernandez and Ameesha Patel and is slated for a January 25 release.