Deepika Padukone, Career Highlights, Personal Life, and Impact

Early life and modelling career

Born in Copenhagen on January 5, 1986, Deepika Padukone relocated to Bangalore during her childhood. Before quitting her sociology studies to concentrate on modeling, she attended Sophia High School and Mount Carmel College. She was a competitive badminton player before switching to fashion modeling in 2004. She became well-known for her role in the 2006 Kingfisher Calendar and a Liril soap commercial. After arriving in a Himesh Reshammiya music video at age 21, she moved to Mumbai and began getting offers for movies.

In the financially successful Kannada film Aishwarya (2006), Deepika Padukone made her acting debut. With the release of Om Shanti Om (2007), a popular Hindi film that nominated her for a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award, she became well-known. Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and Love Aaj Kal (2009) were two of her latter films; the latter was a big hit. Her five 2010 film appearances included the box office success Housefull, however others, such Lafangey Parindey and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, did not fare as well. She had a string of underwhelming movies in 2011, such as Desi Boyz and Aarakshan, which drew criticism and gave the impression that her career was in decline.

The portrayal of Veronica in Cocktail (2012), which demonstrated Deepika Padukone's range as an actor and brought her nominations for Best Actress, was a turning point in her career. She starred in multiple highly successful films in 2013, including as the critically acclaimed Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Chennai Express. Her portrayal in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela brought her multiple accolades and critical praise. She also starred in Happy New Year (2014), which was a commercial success despite receiving mixed reviews, and appeared in Kochadaiiyaan (2014) and Finding Fanny (2014). In 2015, Padukone received critical acclaim for her performance in Piku and was named one of her finest roles in Tamasha, despite the movie's poor box office performance. She performed even better in the hugely successful film Bajirao Mastani (2015), for which she was nominated for Best Actress once again.

In the 2017 film XXX: Return of Xander Cage, Deepika Padukone made her screen debut in Hollywood. The film received mixed reviews but did well at the box office. Her role of Rani Padmavati in Padmaavat (2018) drew praise and criticism alike, yet the movie was a huge smash. She took a sabbatical to concentrate on her production business before releasing Chhapaak (2020), a drama about an acid attack survivor that was well-received by critics but had trouble making money. Although 83 (2021), her follow-up movie commemorating India's 1983 Cricket World Cup victory, received favorable reviews, it didn't do well financially. She starred in Gehraiyaan (2022) as well, where her nuanced performance was praised.

Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan made a comeback in Pathaan (2023), receiving positive reviews in spite of criticism regarding a song's suggestive graphics. In Jawan (2023), she too made a cameo, and both movies set records at the box office. Padukone costarred in an action movie with Hrithik Roshan called Fighter (2024), however several critics thought her part was underutilized. Her next movie, Kalki 2898 AD, had a small screen time but was a huge hit. The next film in Padukone's Cop Universe franchise with Rohit Shetty is Singham Again.

As a devout Hindu, Deepika Padukone stays close to her family in Bangalore and makes frequent trips to temples. During Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), she was romantically involved to Ranbir Kapoor; however, their relationship ended in 2009 due to an affair, which they eventually resolved. After that, in 2012, Padukone started dating Ranveer Singh. In November 2018, the couple were married in Italy. In February 2024, the couple revealed they were expecting their first child.

Apart from her work in acting, Deepika Padukone has contributed to Hindustan Times with her writings, has backed charitable causes, and has performed in plays. She has backed events including the World 10K Bangalore marathon and NDTV's Greenathon Campaign, where she adopted the village of Ambegaon. Padukone has toured with “SLAM! The Tour” and performed at IPL events. She unveiled the FIFA World Cup Trophy in 2022 and is associated with the Olympic Gold Quest. She debuted “All About You” with Myntra in 2015 and a women's clothing collection with Van Heusen in 2013. Through her business Ka Enterprises, she has also made investments in startups. In 2022, she introduced the self-care line 82°E, which earned $7.5 million in seed money.

Deepika Padukone is a well-known supporter of mental health and feminism. In an effort to increase awareness of depression, she established The Live Love Laugh Foundation in 2015. She then worked with Facebook and AASRA to offer materials in multiple languages to individuals who may be at risk. She was given the Crystal Award in 2020 in recognition of her efforts to raise mental health awareness. In addition, Padukone came under fire for her earlier advocacy of skin-lightening goods, her backing of student rallies against the Citizenship Amendment Act, and an insensitive Chhapaak TikTok commercial.

Deepika Padukone's stable demeanor and strong, orderly work ethic are highly praised. Known for her meaningful roles and charitable work off-screen, she is frequently listed as one of India's biggest stars. In addition to being recognized by Forbes as the highest-paid actress worldwide, Padukone has received other honors, including being named one of India's most prominent persons by India Today and The Indian Express. She was listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential persons and topped numerous “most attractive” lists due to her widespread recognition for her beauty and influence. She has also achieved great brand value and noteworthy sponsorships by serving as a well-known spokesperson for premium and well-known brands.