Padukone, the daughter of the badminton playerPrakash Padukone, was born inCopenhagen and raised inBangalore. As a teenager, she played badminton in national level championships but left her career in the sport to become a fashion model. She soon received offers for film roles and made her acting debut in 2006 as the title character of theKannada filmAishwarya. Padukone then played a dual role oppositeShah Rukh Khan in her first Bollywood release, the romanceOm Shanti Om (2007), which won her theFilmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Padukone received praise for her starring role in the romanceLove Aaj Kal (2009), but this was followed by a brief setback.
Padukone is the founder ofThe Live Love Laugh Foundation, which creates awareness on mental health in India, for which she received theWorld Economic Forum's Crystal Award in 2018. She also participates in stage shows, has designed her own line of clothing for women, and is a prominent celebrity endorser for brands and products. Padukone has walked theMet Gala red carpet inManhattan thrice: in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Her other ventures include startup investments and a self-care brand. Padukone is married to her frequent co-starRanveer Singh, with whom she has a daughter.
Early life and modelling career
Padukone was born on 5 January 1986 inCopenhagen, Denmark, toKonkani-speaking Indian parents.[2][3][4] Her father,Prakash Padukone, is a former professional badminton player and her mother, Ujjala, is a travel agent.[5] Her younger sister, Anisha, is a golfer.[6] Her paternal grandfather, Ramesh, was a secretary of the Mysore Badminton Association.[7] The family relocated toBangalore, India when Padukone was a year old.[8] She was educated at Bangalore'sSophia High School and completed her pre-university education atMount Carmel College.[9] She subsequently enrolled at theIndira Gandhi National Open University for a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with her modelling career.[8][10]
Padukone has said that she was socially awkward as a child and did not have many friends.[8] The focus of her life was badminton, which she played competitively from a young age. Describing her daily routine in a 2012 interview, Padukone said, "I would wake up at five in the morning, go for physical training, go to school, again go for playing badminton, finish my homework, and go to sleep."[8] Padukone continued to pursue a career in badminton throughout her school years and played the sport in national level championships. She also played baseball in a few state level tournaments.[11] While concentrating on her education and sporting career, Padukone also worked as a child model, first appearing in a couple of advertising campaigns at the age of eight.[12] In thetenth grade, she changed focus and decided to become a fashion model. She later explained, "I realised that I was playing the game only because it ran in the family. So, I asked my father if I could give up the game and he wasn't upset at all."[13] In 2004, she began a full-time career as a model under the tutelage ofPrasad Bidapa.[13][14]
Early in her career, Padukone gained recognition with a television commercial for the soapLiril and modelled for various other brands and products.[15][16] In 2005, she made herrunway debut at theLakmé Fashion Week for designerSuneet Varma and won Model of the Year at theKingfisher Fashion Awards.[17][18] Padukone's fame increased when she appeared in a popular print campaign for the 2006Kingfisher Calendar;[19] the designerWendell Rodricks commented, "SinceAishwarya Rai, we haven't had a girl as beautiful and fresh."[20] Rodricks had spotted her at a Ganjam jewellery class he was teaching and signed her up with the Matrix talent agency.[21] At the age of 21, Padukone relocated toMumbai and stayed at her aunt's home.[8] In 2006, she gained recognition by featuring in the music video forHimesh Reshammiya's song "Naam Hai Tera" for the albumAap Ka Surroor.[22]
Padukone soon began to receive offers for film roles.[23] Believing herself to be too inexperienced as an actor, she enrolled for a course atAnupam Kher's film academy.[24] Following much media speculation, the directorFarah Khan, who had noticed her in Reshammiya's music video, made the decision to cast her for a role in her upcoming film, then namedHappy New Year.[8][25] Rodricks also takes credit in helping her get the role. Khan was looking for a model to star in the film, and got in touch withMalaika Arora. Rodricks, for whom Padukone had been modelling for roughly two years then, recommended her to Arora, a close friend of his, who in turn recommended her to Khan.[26]
Film breakthrough and career struggles (2006–2011)
Padukone made her acting debut withAishwarya (2006), aKannada film directed byIndrajit Lankesh.[19] The romantic comedy was a remake of theTelugu filmManmadhudu, and she was cast in the title role opposite the actorUpendra. The film proved to be a commercial success.[27]R. G. Vijayasarathy ofRediff.com was appreciative of Padukone's screen presence but added that "she needs to work on her emotional scenes."[28] By the end of 2006, Farah Khan'sHappy New Year was shelved, and Khan had instead cast Padukone for themasala filmOm Shanti Om (2007).[29] Set against the backdrop of theHindi film industry, the film tells the story of a struggling actor who is reincarnated to avenge the death of a film star.Shah Rukh Khan starred as the lead, and Padukone featured in dual roles of a star in the 1970s, and later, an aspiring actress.[30] In preparation, Padukone watched several films of actressesHelen andHema Malini to study their body language.[31] Her voice was dubbed by the voice artistMona Ghosh Shetty.[32] For one of the songs in the film, "Dhoom Taana", Padukone drew upon Indian classical dance, and according toDorling Kindersley, "mesmeriz[ed] audiences" by usinghasta mudras (hand gestures).[33]Om Shanti Om emerged as thehighest-grossing Hindi film of the year, with a global revenue of₹1.49 billion (US$18 million).[34]Taran Adarsh of the entertainment portalBollywood Hungama opined that she had "all it takes to be a top star", and she was awarded with theFilmfare Best Female Debut Award and received her firstFilmfare Award for Best Actress nomination.[35][36] Bollywood Hungama reported that the success ofOm Shanti Om proved abreakthrough for her.[37]
Padukone next played one of starRanbir Kapoor's love interests inSiddharth Anand's romantic comedyBachna Ae Haseeno (2008). The film was a financial success,[38] butNamrata Joshi ofOutlook dismissed her performance as "mannequin-like and utterly lack[ing] fire and zing".[39] Her first release of 2009 came alongsideAkshay Kumar in thekung fu comedyChandni Chowk to China, in which she portrayed dual roles of Indian-Chinese twin sisters. Produced byWarner Bros., it had one of the widest international releases given to an Indian film.[40] Padukone learnedjujutsu and performed her own stunts.[41][42] Despite the hype,Chandni Chowk To China was a financial failure, failing to recoup its₹800 million (US$9.5 million) budget.[43][44] She appeared alongsideSaif Ali Khan in the romantic dramaLove Aaj Kal from the writer-directorImtiaz Ali. The film documented the changing value of relationships among the youth and had Padukone play the part of Meera Pandit, a head-strongcareer woman. With a worldwide gross of₹1.2 billion (US$14 million),Love Aaj Kal proved to be thethird highest-grossing Hindi film of 2009.[34] Aniruddha Guha ofDaily News and Analysis said that Padukone "delivers the best of her four performances so far", and she was awarded with another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.[45][46]
Padukone had five film releases in 2010. In the psychological thrillerKarthik Calling Karthik, she played the supportive girlfriend of a depressed man (played byFarhan Akhtar). Derek Elley ofVariety found the film to be "thinly plotted" but considered "the uncomplicated ingenuousness of Padukone" to be the film's highlight.[47] Her most financially profitable film that year wasSajid Khan's₹1.15 billion (US$14 million)-grossing comedy filmHousefull in which she featured alongside anensemble cast headlined by Akshay Kumar.[34] Critic Raja Sen described the film as a "festival of bad acting" and attributed Padukone's poor performance to her "plasticky expressions".[48]Pradeep Sarkar's dramaLafangey Parindey (2010) starred Padukone as a blind girl determined to win a skating competition, for which she observed the interactions of blind people and rehearsed scenes while blindfolded.[49]The Hindu's Sudhish Kamath was impressed by the "considerable restraint" in her performance.[50] Her next role was oppositeImran Khan in the romantic comedyBreak Ke Baad.CNN-IBN'sRajeev Masand found the film to be "watchable largely for the performance of its leading lady".[51] Padukone's final release of 2010 wasAshutosh Gowariker's period filmKhelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey oppositeAbhishek Bachchan. Based on the bookDo and Die, the film is a retelling of the 1930Chittagong armoury raid.[52] Bachchan featured as the revolutionary leaderSurya Sen and Padukone playedKalpana Dutta, his confidante.[53] Padukone said that she was unable to research her role as there was very little information on Dutta and relied on Gowarikar's direction.[54] BarringHousefull, none of these films were commercially successful.[55][56]
Padukone began 2011 with anitem number in the filmDum Maaro Dum.[57] She referred to it as "the wildest song any actress has done"; the song's sexual content attracted controversy including a court case for indecency.[58][59] Her next film wasPrakash Jha's socio-political dramaAarakshan, which dealt withcaste-based reservations in India. Trade journalists had high expectations for the film which ultimately flopped at the box office.[60][61] Critical reaction was largely negative, thoughPratim D. Gupta mentioned Padukone as the most "refreshing thing" about it.[62][63] Her final appearance that year was in the comedyDesi Boyz alongside Kumar andJohn Abraham, a role that failed to propel her career forward.[64][65] The series of poorly received films led critics to perceive that Padukone had "[lost] her sparkle."[66]
Established actress (2012–2016)
Padukone has said that her starring role in the 2012Homi Adajania-directed romantic comedyCocktail marked a turning point in her career.[67] Raja Sen opined that she had successfully proved to be a "stunning girl who can also act."[68] Set in London,Cocktail tells the story of a man's relationship with two temperamentally different women—an impulsive party girl (Veronica, played by Padukone) and a submissivegirl next door (Meera, played byDiana Penty). During the script narration, the producer Dinesh Vijan offered Padukone the choice of which woman to play; she decided on Veronica to expand her horizons as an actress.[69] Portraying the role was a creative and physical challenge for her, and to achieve the physical requirements of her character she exercised extensively and followed a rigorous diet.[70][71] Critics were divided in their opinion of the film, but particularly praised Padukone's performance;[72] Devesh Sharma ofFilmfare credited her as the "soul of the film" and wrote that she "excels in every scene, whether as a material girl who enjoys sex, drugs and rock and roll or as the jealousy ridden girl out to destroy herself."[73]Cocktail earned Padukone Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies, including Filmfare,Screen, andIIFA.[74] The film also proved to be a box office success.[75]
The year 2013 was key for Padukone, as she starred in four of thetop-grossing Hindi films of the year.[76][77] She reunited with Saif Ali Khan inAbbas–Mustan'sRace 2, an ensemble action thriller that served as a sequel toRace (2008). The film received predominantly negative reviews,[78] but grossed a successful total of₹1.62 billion (US$19 million).[79][80]Ayan Mukerji's romantic comedyYeh Jawaani Hai Deewani paired her opposite Ranbir Kapoor. She was cast as Naina Talwar, a "shy wallflower", which marked a departure from the glamorous characters that she had a reputation for portraying.[81] Raja Sen termed it "her most self-aware performance" adding that she "acts within herself and eschews exaggeration, and the results are impressive".[82] The pairing of Padukone with her former boyfriend was highly anticipated,[83] and the film emerged as a major commercial success.[79][84] Her next appearance was opposite Shah Rukh Khan inRohit Shetty's action comedy filmChennai Express, as aTamil girl on the run from her father (a localdon), which required that she adopt a Tamil accent. Critical opinion on her accent was mixed,[85] but her performance received praise;[86] film critic Aseem Chhabra wrote, "Padukone is delightful in the film—beautiful, smiling, and often a lot more playful and funny than Khan."[87]Chennai Express earned over₹3.95 billion (US$47 million) to emerge as one of thehighest-grossing Indian films.[88]
Padukone next played oppositeRanveer Singh inGoliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, an adaptation of theShakespearean tragedy ofRomeo and Juliet from directorSanjay Leela Bhansali. Her role was Leela, aGujarati girl based on the character ofJuliet.[89] Initially titledRam-Leela, the film's title was changed after a court case was registered against Bhansali, Padukone, and Singh for "offending the religious sentiments" of the Hindu community by showcasing sex and violence under a title that referred to the life ofRama.[90] The film released among protests, but was generally well received by critics.[91][92] Meena Iyer ofThe Times of India mentioned Padukone as "breathtaking", andKhalid Mohamed concluded that "it's Deepika Padukone whom the film belongs to. Looking drop dead gorgeous and going at her part with a wallop, she's the prime asset ofRam-Leela."[93][94] Her performances inChennai Express andGoliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela won her several awards,[95] including theScreen Award for Best Actress for both films and the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for the latter.[96][97]
In 2014, Padukone featured oppositeRajinikanth in theTamil filmKochadaiiyaan, a period drama shot usingmotion capture technology.[98] She was paid₹30 million (US$350,000) for two days of work in it.[99][100] In Homi Adajania's satireFinding Fanny, Padukone played a young widow on a road trip with her dysfunctional friends. The film was screened at the19th Busan International Film Festival;[101] critic Anuj Kumar ofThe Hindu wrote that Padukone successfully "takes off the fineries of Bollywood and you can sense the freedom from baggage in her performance".[102] Later that year, she starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan for the third time in Farah Khan's renewal ofHappy New Year. She played a bar dancer who trains a group of underachievers for a dance competition. Sanjukta Sharma ofMint found her glamorous role to be of minimal importance, but the film became one of her most successful, earning over₹3.4 billion (US$40 million) worldwide.[88][103] Padukone later remarked that production on the film was difficult for her as she suffered from depression and anxiety.[104]
Following an appearance in Homi Adajania's online video onfeminism, entitledMy Choice,[105] Padukone took on the role of a headstrongBengali girl who cares for her hypochondriac father (played by Amitabh Bachchan), inShoojit Sircar's comedy-dramaPiku (2015). She was drawn to the depiction of a realistic father-daughter bond, which she thought was rare in Hindi cinema.[106] Tanmaya Nanda ofBusiness Standard praised the film's feminist tone, and wrote that Padukone proves "what she is capable of when given something more to do than look pretty and be the crazy-dance girl at parties".[107] NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee opined that she "holdsPiku together with a restrained star turn".[108] With a worldwide gross of over₹1.40 billion (US$17 million),Piku was a box office hit, and garnered Padukone several awards, including second Best Actress awards at Filmfare and Screen.[109][110]
Later in 2015, Padukone played a vulnerable young woman in love with a psychologically troubled man (played by Ranbir Kapoor) in Imtiaz Ali's romantic dramaTamasha.Sukanya Verma named her performance as the best by an actress that year, writing that she "is so potent inTamasha, it's almost as if you can hear her heartbeat across the screen".[111] Reacting to the film's commercial failure, Padukone said that she did not measure success with box-office numbers.[112] She reunited with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ranveer Singh inBajirao Mastani, a historical drama about a tragic extramarital affair. Singh was cast as themaratha generalBajirao I, whilePriyanka Chopra and Padukone featured as his first and second wife, respectively. To play the warrior-princessMastani, Padukone learnt sword-fighting, horse-riding, and the martial art form ofkalaripayattu.[113] With a revenue of over₹3.5 billion (US$41 million),Bajirao Mastani proved to be thefourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year.[88]Anupama Chopra found Padukone "riveting", but Subhash K. Jha thought that she was "way too subtle and silken, and not steely enough".[114][115] At the61st Filmfare Awards,Bajirao Mastani was namedBest Film and Padukone received her second Best Actress nomination in that year.[109][116]
Professional expansion and fluctuations (2017–2022)
The action filmXXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017), in which Padukone played the leading lady oppositeVin Diesel, marked her first project inHollywood.[117]The Philadelphia Inquirer's Tirdad Derakhshani dismissed the film as "abysmal" and thought that Padukone's talent was wasted in it, but Frank Scheck ofThe Hollywood Reporter believed that she "practically steals the film".[118][119] The film earned over US$345 million worldwide, a majority of which came from the Chinese box office.[120] Padukone received three nominations at theTeen Choice Awards.[121][122]
Padukone at the premiere ofChhapaak (2020), which marked her first production venture
In 2018, Padukone portrayedRani Padmavati, aRajput queen who commitsjauhar (self-immolation) to protect herself from theMuslim invaderAlauddin Khilji, in the period dramaPadmaavat; it marked her third collaboration with Bhansali and Singh.[123] She was challenged by the need to convey her character's courage through silence, and was emotionally exhausted by the experience.[124] She read history books on the era and researched the various depictions of Padmavati.[124]Right-wing Hindu groups speculated that the film portrayed a romantic liaison between Padmavati and Khilji; they protested violently and placed a bounty to behead Padukone and Bhansali.[125] Following a deferment, the film was cleared for release after several modifications were made to it.[126][127]Anna M. M. Vetticad ofFirstpost criticised the film's glorification ofjauhar, but credited Padukone for managing to "eke something out of the stereotype-ridden writing".[128] With a then-record budget of₹2 billion (US$24 million),Padmaavat had earnings of₹5.45 billion (US$64 million) to emerge as one of Indian cinema's biggest grossers.[129][130] She received another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.[131]
FollowingPadmaavat, Padukone took some time off work to focus on her home and family.[132] In 2018, she formed her own company, named Ka Productions.[133] The company's first release wasChhapaak (2020), a drama byMeghna Gulzar, in which Padukone starred as anacid attack survivor (based onLaxmi Agarwal).[134] She found it taxing to film in extreme heat wearing prosthetic makeup on her face, and considered it to be the most physically challenging role of her career.[135] Shubhra Gupta ofThe Indian Express was appreciative of Padukone for "not just putting the focus on the ravaged-skin [...] but reflecting a mix of pain, anger, resignation" and Teo Bugbee ofThe New York Times found her "by turns inquisitive, watchful and serene but never maudlin".[136][137] She received another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.[138] Amidst significant political backlash due to Padukone's perceived support for theCitizenship Amendment Act protests,Chhapaak failed commercially.[139]
Padukone's next production venture was83 (2021), a sports drama about India's victory at the1983 Cricket World Cup, starring Ranveer Singh asKapil Dev, in which she also took on the role of Dev's wife, Romi.[140] The film was delayed several times chiefly due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in India.[141] Padukone was directorKabir Khan's first choice as he considered casting a real-life couple as an onscreen pair to be a good marketing strategy.[142] Reviews for the film were positive,[143] with Davesh Sharma ofFilmfare commending Padukone for adding glamour to her supporting part.[144] It failed to perform well commercially.[145] Padukone next took on a leading role inShakun Batra'sGehraiyaan (2022), a drama about infidelity which was released onAmazon Prime Video.[146] She described her part of a troubled woman engaged in an affair as the most layered of her career.[147] In a mixed review for the film, Siddhant Adlakha ofIndieWire was appreciative of Padukone's "emotionally complex" performance.[148] She served as a jury member at the2022 Cannes Film Festival.[149]
Padukone reunited with Shah Rukh Khan in Siddharth Anand's action filmPathaan (2023), set in theYRF Spy Universe.[150][151] A song in the film, "Besharam Rang", featured Padukone in asaffron bikini, which became controversial once right-wing Hindutva groups deemed it obscene and objectionable.[152] TheCentral Board of Film Certification cleared the film for release after some edits were made to the song sequence.[153] Saibal Chatterjee wrote that Padukone "pulls off the dual act of an irrepressiblefemme fatale and a committed soldier with elan".[154] In her second collaboration with Khan in the same year, Padukone played a brief role (billed as a special appearance) in the action thrillerJawan.[155] Reviewers forHindustan Times andThe Week noted how much her pairing with Khan helped the picture.[156][157] BothPathaan andJawan broke several box-office records for a Hindi film, each earning over₹10 billion (US$120 million) to rank among Hindi cinema's biggest grossers.[158][159][160] Padukone received another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare forPathaan.[161] Her accomplishments of the year ledIndia Today to name her as "the go-to actress for big-budget spectacles".[162] Describing her multiple collaborations with Khan, she has said that they have a "deep trust" and "a sense of ownership over each other".[163]
Continuing her work in big-budget action films, Padukone had three such releases in 2024. Some commentators complained that her consecutive roles in such androcentric films did not give her much scope to perform.[164] She collaborated with Anand once again inFighter, co-starringHrithik Roshan.[165] For their roles asIndian Air Force officers, Roshan and Padukone were required to undergo martial arts training.[166]WION's Shomini Singh wrote that she "looks gorgeous and shares good chemistry with Roshan- but her potential as an actress is never capitalised".[167] Padukone then featured alongside Amitabh Bachchan andPrabhas inKalki 2898 AD, a Telugu science fiction film from filmmakerNag Ashwin made on a record budget of₹6 billion (US$71 million).[168] Set in a dystopian future, she played a pregnanttest subject on the run.Sukanya Verma found her "significant even in a passive part" butScroll.in's Nandini Ramnath opined that she "has little to do beyond looking stricken".[169][170] Padukone also joined Rohit Shetty'sCop Universe franchise in the ensemble action sequelSingham Again (2024), starringAjay Devgn in the title role.[171]Mint's Udita Jhunjhunwala lamented her "insufficient presence" in it.[172]Kalki 2898 AD,Singham Again andFighter rank among thehighest-grossing Indian films of 2024, with the former earning₹10 billion (US$120 million) worldwide and the latter two having modest returns on their high production budgets.[173][174][175] Padukone will next appear inAA22xA6 oppositeAllu Arjun.[176]
Personal life
Singh and Padukone at their wedding reception in 2018
Padukone shares a close bond with her family, and visits them regularly in her hometown of Bangalore.[177] She lives inPrabhadevi, a neighbourhood in Mumbai, and has admitted to missing the presence of her parents there.[8][178][179] A practisingHindu, Padukone considers religion to be an important aspect of her life and makes frequent visits totemples and other religious shrines.[180]
While filmingBachna Ae Haseeno in 2008, Padukone began a romantic relationship with co-starRanbir Kapoor.[181] She spoke openly about the relationship and sported a tattoo of his initials on the nape of her neck.[182] She has said that the relationship had a profound effect on her, transforming her into a more confident and social person.[8][183] The couple broke up a year later;[184] she professed in an interview to feeling betrayed for a long time.[8] In a 2010 interview, Padukone accused him of infidelity, and Kapoor later admitted to it.[185][186][187] They reconciled their friendship while working onYeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.[188]
Padukone subsequently became reticent to discuss her personal life, but in 2017, she fondly spoke of her relationship with her frequent co-starRanveer Singh, whom she began dating in August 2012.[124][189] In October 2018, the couple announced their impending marriage.[190] The following month, they married in traditionalKonkaniHindu and SikhAnand Karaj ceremonies atLake Como, Italy.[191][192] On 8 September 2024, she gave birth to their daughter Dua.[193]
Off-screen work
Padukone performing at the "SLAM! The Tour" concert in 2014
In addition to acting, Padukone has written opinion columns and has been involved with women's health and fitness magazines. She has also supported charitable organisations, and has performed for stage shows. In 2009, she was hired byHindustan Times to write weekly columns for their lifestyle section; through these columns she interacted with her fans and passed details of her personal and professional life.[194][195] That year, she participated in theWorld 10K Bangalore marathon, which raised₹13.1 million (US$150,000) in support of 81 NGOs.[196][197] In 2010, Padukone adopted theMaharashtrian village ofAmbegaon as part of NDTV's Greenathon Campaign, to provide the village with a regular supply of electricity.[198] She visited Indianjawans (troops) inJammu, for anIndependence Day special episode of NDTV's reality showJai Jawaan.[199]
In 2013, she launched her own line of clothing for women, in association with the retail chainVan Heusen.[205] Two years later, she collaborated with the fashion portalMyntra to launch another line under her brand "All About You".[206] From 2019 to 2021, she served as the chairperson of theMumbai Academy of the Moving Image.[207] Through her own company, Ka Enterprises, Padukone has invested in several startups, including Drum Foods International, afast-moving consumer goods company, and Blu Smart, anelectric taxi.[208][209] In 2022, she launched her own self-care brand, named 82°E, beginning with skincare products.[204] The brand raised $7.5 million inseed funding to launch new products.[210]
Padukone has also been outspoken on issues such as feminism and has said, "New feminism isn't about being aggressive; it's about reaching the top yet being soft. It's about being you – feminine, strong and full of will power."[211] In a 2015 interview, Padukone spoke about her personal experience of overcoming depression, and in October that year she formed a foundation to create awareness on mental health in India, namedThe Live Love Laugh Foundation.[212][213] The following year, she launched a campaign named More Than Just Sad to assist general physicians in their treatment of patients suffering from depression or anxiety.[214] Also in 2016, the foundation teamed with Facebook and theAASRA organisation to launch multilingual tools and educational resources in Facebook's networking site to support people with suicidal tendencies.[215] Padukone became the brand ambassador for the NGOIndian Psychiatric Society and on her foundation's first anniversary, the two organisations collaborated to launch the video and poster campaign #DobaraPoocho dedicated to victims and survivors of depression.[216][217] TheWorld Economic Forum presented her with the Crystal Award in 2020 for creating awareness on mental health.[218]
In 2020, Padukone attended a protest for students who were brutalised during the2020 JNU Attack due to theirprotests against theCitizenship Amendment Act.[219] Members of the rulingBharatiya Janata Party criticised her decision and asked people to boycott her filmChhapaak.[220] Many others praised her for standing up against a crackdown on dissent, as mainstream Bollywood actors avoid making political statements fearing backlash and consequences on their film.[221] When asked about the political backlash she has since faced, Padukone said, "I don't know if I'm supposed to feel something about it. But the truth is, I don't feel anything about it."[222] Also in 2020, Padukone was criticised for aTikTok video aimed towards the promotion of her filmChhapaak, in which she asked users to recreate her "acid-attack survivor look" from the film which was deemed "insensitive" and "disrespectful" to acid-attack victims.[223] Later that year, Padukone was among several Bollywood actors who were criticised for posting Instagram messages showing solidarity with theBlack Lives Matter movement, despite their previous work advertising skin-lightening products which perpetuate colourism.[224][225]
In the media
The journalistVir Sanghvi, in 2013, described Padukone as "strong, someone who makes up her own mind, [and] has motivation within herself."[226] She is particularly known in the media as a professional, disciplined performer, whose "work takes precedence over everything else".[66] A reviewer for Rediff.com described her personality as "simple", "grounded", and "accessible", and wrote, "She takes criticism in her stride, acknowledges her limitations and strives to work hard at getting better. She handles praise with equal composure."[227] In the bookThe Millennial Woman in Bollywood (2020) author Maithili Shyam Rao wrote that Padukone challenges conventional social and sexual mores through her on-screen roles and off-screen persona.[228] Padukone maintains an active social media presence.[229]
Padukone is considered among the most popular and high-profile celebrities in India.[36][86] Analysing her career,Reuters published that after making a successful debut, she featured in a series of films for which critics labelled her as "wooden" and "mocked her accent".[230]The Indian Express opined that "a few unwise script calls and the public blow up of her high profile relationship with Ranbir Kapoor" had resulted in a brief career setback.[231] By 2013, several media publications began crediting her as the most successful contemporary actress in India.[34][232] A decade later, a journalist forTime magazine took note of her longevity as a leading star, a rarity for women in Indian cinema.[222] Also in 2023, Namrata Zakharia ofThe Week analysed that Padukone's acting career, brand endorsements, investments, philanthropy, and marriage to Ranveer Singh were collectively responsible in making her "India's most successful female celebrity".[233] Padukone has said that her background in sports has lent her to treat her career like an athlete, and that her choice of roles is "a combination of where I am in life, what I am offered and what I am capable of doing".[163]
India Today featured her among the nation's 50 most powerful people in 2017, 2019 and 2023,[234][235][236] as didThe Indian Express in 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024.[237][238][239] The global edition ofForbes ranked her as the tenth highest-paid actress in the world in 2016 and in 2018, the magazine ranked her as the highest-earning woman celebrity in India.[240][241][242] From 2014 to 2016 and in 2018, she was the highest ranked woman on the Indian edition ofForbes' "Celebrity 100" list, peaking at the fourth position in 2018 with an estimated annual earning of over₹1.12 billion (US$13 million).[243][244][245] Also in 2018,Time magazine named Padukone one of the100 most influential people in the world;Variety magazine featured her in their list of the 50 most impactful women in the world, and the market research firmYouGov named her the world's thirteenth most admired woman.[246][247][248] OnInternational Women's Day in 2022,Outlook India listed her as one of the women redefining leadership roles.[249] In the same year, Padukone was awarded theTIME100 Impact Award for her work with mental health advocacy.[250] In 2023, she was featured by the Indian edition ofHello! magazine in their 100 most influential list.[251]The Week estimated her net worth to be₹500 crore (US$59 million) in 2023[233] and in 2024,GQ India ranked her fifth among richest Indian actresses.[252]
Padukone ranks high on various listings of the most attractive Indian celebrities.[253] In 2008, she toppedIndianMaxim's "Hot 100" list,[254] and in 2012, she was named "India's Most Beautiful Woman" by the Indian edition ofPeople magazine.[255] Padukone has frequently featured inThe Times of India's listing of the "Most Desirable Woman", topping the list in 2012 and 2013.[256][257][258] In 2010 and 2014, she was named the "World's Sexiest Woman" by the Indian edition ofFHM.[259] and she was selected by the UK magazineEastern Eye as the "Sexiest Asian Woman" in 2016 and 2018, and later, of the decade.[260][261][262]Madame Tussauds unveiled her wax statue in London in 2019.[263] Taking note of her dress sense,Filmfare credited her as one of the "few actresses who experiments with colours, cuts and silhouettes".[264] In the fitness bookThe Four-Week Countdown Diet, Padukone was cited by Namita Jain as "the ultimate role model for a healthy, fit and active lifestyle".[265]
Padukone is an active endorser for several brands and products, includingTissot,Maybelline,Coca-Cola, andL'Oréal Paris, among others.[266] In 2014,Business Standard reported that Padukone earned₹50 million (US$590,000) to₹60 million (US$710,000) per endorsement deal andTAM AdEX named Padukone the most visible face on television in India that year.[267][268] She has regularly featured inDuff & Phelps' listings of Indian celebrities with the highest brand value, peaking at the second position in 2018 with an estimated brand value of US$102.5 million.[269] In 2020, she became the first Indian brand ambassador forLouis Vuitton,[270] and in 2022, she was named a brand ambassador for the luxury jewellery brandCartier.[271] In 2024, Padukone toppedIMDb's List of 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars.[272]
Padukone has been the recipient of threeFilmfare Awards from 10 nominations: Best Female Debut forOm Shanti Om (2007), and two Best Actress awards forGoliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) andPiku (2015).[36][97]
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