Actor Deepika Padukone said she believes romantic relationships are complicated and it is difficult to find a partner who understands one’s success and passion.

The 31-year-old actor said it is not easy for a performer to maintain their number one position in the industry.

“As far as romantic relationships are concerned, they are complicated because it is difficult to find someone, who understands your success, your passion for what you do, who understands that maybe you earn more money (than him). It (at the top) is a complicated place to be in,” Deepika said.

The actor said that with extreme success, she “overnight, (I) had wings to fly” and that is when relationships go through testing times.

“Some of my personal relationships have become stronger with time but I have seen some of my friends, who have distanced themselves from me. Some of my school friends… We have become closer than before because we all make efforts to stay in touch.

“A lot of people could not handle the success that came my way and sort of disconnected. I am not upset about it, that’s just the way life goes. People, who are closest to you and matter, understand,” she said.

Deepika was speaking at the launch of veteran actor Hema Malini’s biography Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl.

The Bajirao Mastani star said stardom and sacrifice go hand-in-hand and one needs to be dedicated to achieve their goals.

“… I haven’t gone to college. I just managed to finish my 11th and 12th (standards) also because by then I had become a successful model. And while I lived in Bengaluru, I still had to go to Mumbai and Delhi a lot of times for work.

“Then I tried doing my first year of degree, (but) I couldn’t do that. I tried distance education, I couldn’t do that as well. So, I am just 12th pass and my parents had a lot of issues with it back then,” she said.

Hema said being on top is a “lonely place” to be in.

“Of course, it is a lonely place, in many ways. Even in personal relationships. You are working hard the whole day, then you come back just to sleep and leave early morning for work. I don’t know how to explain…

“When it comes to your personal life, even your parents want you to settle down. My parents started looking for a guy for me. A lot of suitors came to see me. But we couldn’t have a match with them. We wanted to, but they couldn’t reach the position I was (in),” the actor-politician said.

“That’s the difficult part. The fact is that you become so (big)… It is the most uncomfortable and difficult place to be in and I have stayed there for a long time,” she added.