Recently, Superstar Deepika Padukone’s response to being the “highest-paid” actress in Bollywood. She hopes for a future in which these things do not matter anymore. “I mean, I hope we can get to a day where we don’t have to talk about it. The fact that we have to highlight or underline that Deepika Padukone’s response to being the “highest-paid” actress, hopefully, we’re getting there,” she said in an interview with Forbes when introduced with that title. Deepika admitted that she grew up in an athlete family where she never had much exposure to cinema during her early years. Yet, something inside her had always called her to the acting field, inspired by the small number of films created. She started her career in modeling and eventually got her big break when filmmaker Farah Khan offered her the phone in the then-upcoming debut film Om Shanti Om in 2007. Deepika mentions that Farah Khan was instrumental in her career, post which there has been “no looking back” for her.
While interacting in discussion regarding her preparation of roles, Deepika explained spontaneity and authenticity. In fact, she feels every character has a little part of her own life within it, and therefore, that it should not be rehearsed over and over just to ensure that fresh spontaneity occurs while performing. She stated that “With every character you put a little bit of yourself in it… I think there is a little bit of yourself, your journey, and your experiences in every role.”
There has been a change in perception with regard to income and status in the industry for Deepika. In an interview back in 2019, she did mention mixed feelings about being India’s highest-paid actress, even with a preference for a touch of guilt, while expressing the necessity of such a discussion to be happening in the current time frame. A movie was always made more important than individuals, with a balanced approach to remuneration in the industry.
Deepika Padukone continues to inspire through her travel, championing for a fairer industry where talent and contribution are treasured without regard to gender.
