Decades before Deepika Padukone chose to play a girl with an acid-scarred face on the big screen, Zeenat Aman and Rekha essayed strong women with disfigured faces in films, a medium where the heroine has typically lent glamour. The instances may be few and far between, but are welcome at a time when creating an inclusive society is the buzzword.

With Chhapaak, director Meghna Gulzar -- known for her deft handling of sensitive subjects -- has given Deepika a chance to raise the bar for her already versatile filmography by playing an acid attack survivor who looks beyond her scars with "immense courage and strength in the face of crippling adversity".