Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone
1986 — ?
Inde
Deepika Padukone is an Indian actress and model born in 1986 in Copenhagen. The daughter of badminton champion Prakash Padukone, she has become one of Bollywood's most influential and highest-paid actresses. She is also known for her public advocacy for mental health awareness.
Key Facts
- Born on January 5, 1986, in Copenhagen, to Indian parents
- Made her film debut in Om Shanti Om in 2007 alongside Shah Rukh Khan
- Founded the Live Love Laugh Foundation in 2015, dedicated to mental health
- Named multiple times among the world's most influential people by Time magazine
- First Indian actress to represent major international luxury brands such as L'Oréal Paris
Works & Achievements
A musical film by Farah Khan alongside Shah Rukh Khan; her role in this blockbuster instantly established her as a new Bollywood star.
A film by Homi Adajania in which she plays a complex, modern character; this performance is considered her first major breakthrough as an actress.
A loose adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, co-starring Ranveer Singh; a defining artistic and romantic collaboration.
A historical epic by Sanjay Leela Bhansali about the Maratha warrior Bajirao; Deepika plays Mastani and won several national awards for the role.
A controversial epic film about the Rajput queen Padmavati; despite threats from nationalist groups, Deepika stood by the film and it became a worldwide success.
A psychological drama on Amazon Prime Video in which she takes on a mature and nuanced role, marking her move into digital streaming cinema.
A non-governmental organization she founded to fight the stigma surrounding mental illness in India, considered one of her most important contributions.
Anecdotes
Deepika Padukone is the daughter of Prakash Padukone, world badminton champion in 1980. Before turning to cinema, she herself played the sport at a high level and came close to pursuing it as a professional career.
In 2015, Deepika Padukone publicly spoke about her struggle with depression in a widely noted interview. This rare act of courage in India led to the creation of The Live Love Laugh Foundation, dedicated to raising awareness about mental health.
For her role in the film Padmaavat (2018), Deepika had to learn Kathak, a complex classical Indian dance form, and endure hours of daily makeup and elaborate costumes weighing several kilograms, reflecting the aesthetic of the medieval Rajput court.
In 2023, Deepika Padukone co-chaired the jury at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming one of the few Indian personalities to hold this prestigious role. She appeared there in outfits created by Indian designers, proudly showcasing her country's fashion on the world stage.
Primary Sources
"I woke up one morning just feeling empty. There was no reason to feel the way I was feeling. I felt a strange emptiness... I would just feel this void."
"Mental illness is not a sign of weakness. It is not a character flaw. It is an illness, just like diabetes or heart disease."
Deepika Padukone was featured in the Time 100 ranking as one of the most influential people in the world, recognized for her role as a mental health advocate and her international reach.
"Cinema has the power to change hearts and minds. It is a universal language that transcends borders and cultures."
Key Places
The city where Deepika grew up and studied, the cradle of her Indian cultural education and her badminton practice.
The capital of Hindi cinema where Deepika settled to pursue her career; Bollywood's studios in Mumbai are the heart of her professional life.
Home of the famous film festival where Deepika represented Indian cinema as a jury member and then co-president of the jury in 2023.
Deepika Padukone's birthplace, a symbol of her cosmopolitan roots and international outlook.
The venue for Deepika and Ranveer Singh's traditional wedding in November 2018, celebrated according to Hindu and Konkani rites.
Gallery
Deepika endorses Yamaha scooters 02
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 — Bollywood Hungama
Deepika Padukone at Garnier event
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 — Bollywood Hungama
Deepika Padukone December 2015
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 — Bollywood Hungama
Deepika Padukone Cannes 2018 (cropped)
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Georges Biard
Deepika Padukone At The Press Meet Of Levis Strauss Signature (cropped)
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 — Bollywood Hungama