Deepika Padukone explains why her 'Hollywood journey hasn't been easy'

Now when you see her in the xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage trailer, you'll never say Deepika Padukone seems unsure about her convictions.

But in a rare admission, she accepted that her Hollywood journey "hasn't been easy". She told a leading newspaper that “Initially, I didn’t feel like I was ready to take up an international project. I was offered films in the past too, but they just didn’t feel right. I have always followed my heart and my instinct.” And that she was mainly offered stereotypical roles in the past.

But, she also admitted that times were changing. “The world is waking up to new talent. Having said that, it is all about whether an actor suits a role or not. An actor should be cast in a movie only if his or her talent brings something unique to the table. I don’t think an actor’s religion, gender, or the region he or she belongs to, should be the reason to sign him or her for a film,” she said.

She concludes, "It is up to you to say yes or no to a role that doesn’t excite you. The films I was offered earlier didn’t excite me.”