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The general consensus seems to be that the actress should have won Best Actress for Piku
Subhash K Jha (DNA; March 31, 2016)

No year goes by without the National Awards creating a controversy. This year is no different. Kangana Ranaut’s Best Actress honour especially rankled Deepika Padukone’s fans who feel she deserved the honour for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani or Shoojit Sircar’s Piku more than Kangana.

Juhi Chaturvedi, the writer of Piku, says, “I loved Kangana in Tanu Weds Manu Returns. But Deepika was simply wonderful as Piku. As Mastani, too, she is wonderful. Deepika’s range is staggering. One can see the width and depth, she possesses as an actor.”

Says critic Raja Sen, “Deepika’s performance in Piku was highly nuanced and accomplished. She created a character we could believe in, find fault with and root for. Kangana in her double role in Tanu Weds Manu Returns was impressive as Datto. But as Tanu, her work was barely average.”

A leading filmmaker who doesn’t want to be named, says, “What has Kangna done that was so special in Tanu Weds Manu Returns? No one is denying that Kangana is a good actress, but Deepika was far superior in Piku. She deserved to win.”