From court to Cannes: The rise and rise of Deepika Padukone

A look back at actor’s successful journey and why she is touted to be India's biggest global icon after Aishwarya Rai

She added another feather to her cap after being roped in as the first Indian ambassador for the acclaimed fashion brand, Louis Vuitton. Her recent success sparks a sense of nostalgia, throwing it back to her turbulent yet flawless journey through the years, from the time she started off in Bollywood until today. Here is a look at the rise and rise of Deepika Padukone.

From badminton to acting

Inspired by her father, Prakash Padukone, a world-renowned badminton player, Deepika began her career in badminton and played in national level championships throughout her teen years. However, her passion for badminton was short-lived. 

Taking to social media in April 2022, whilst celebrating her TIME 100 Impact Award, Deepika wrote, “I was all of 16 when I chose to switch jobs from being a competitive badminton player to being an actor. I had no idea that 20 years later, I would be standing here accepting the TIME 100 Impact Award." She was only 16 when she was cast in her first film as a title character, a Kannada project titled Aishwarya. However, it was not long before she won the hearts of Bollywood fans the world over. 

Big break

After her segue from badminton into a career in fashion modelling and her swift move into the film industry, Deepika was eventually recruited in Om Shanti Om – a film that is considered the launch of her successful career. A movie that was directed by one of Bollywood’s top directors, Farah Khan and starred the ‘King of Bollywood’, Shahrukh Khan opposite the ‘new girl’ was a testament to her talent that thrust her into the limelight. 

Her acting prowess only opened further avenues for her career as she went on to give several highly acclaimed performances in films including Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Cocktail. Her Hollywood calling came soon after, with Deepika being chosen to star alongside Vin Diesel in 2017’s XXX: Return of Xander Cage.

She was among the many Indians to make her Met Gala debut in 2017 and her first Cannes Film Festival debut in 2010. According to CA knowledge, she reportedly has a total net worth of approximately $30 million. 

A rocky road 

Deepika’s journey to stardom was not a smooth sail. She opened up about her battle with depression in 2016 while speaking to journalist Barkha Dutt in an interview for NDTV. Deepika said, “I woke up one morning just feeling empty, like this pitt-ish feeling in my stomach. I woke up feeling directionless”. 

With this, she became an avid advocate for mental health awareness and spoke about her personal struggles which influenced her to launch her mental health foundation, LiveLoveLaugh in 2015, offering free emotional well-being services to the general public, among many other things.

Her authenticity radiated through the industry as she was not just an advocate but also one of the only celebrities to have contributed to the discourse around mental health issues as a celebrity. In a surprise Clubhouse session, the actor spoke candidly about her diagnosis of depression and how the process of healing had been especially challenging.

“I felt like we were being extremely hush-hush about everything. We didn’t want my name to go out. We were scared about which therapist to reach out to and who’s going to keep this information confidential,” she said. Her transparency concerning her depression was unheard of within the industry but led to drastic changes with greater awareness and a jump-started the process of de-stigmatising mental illness in India.

Cannes calling 

Deepika has once again transcended borders with her exceptional performances as the only Indian to serve as a member of the Cannes 2022 jury. According to The Indian Express, Deepika shared she had goosebumps before heading to the film festival, adding she aims for “India to make news beyond red carpet looks at Cannes”. 

In an effort to open doors for future Indian representation at Cannes and otherwise globally, the star intends on bringing focus to “Indian talent and cinema”  in hopes that Indian media “realises that they have the power to actually change [the] narrative and talk about what a big moment this is for the country.”

Deepika was recently featured in Vogue’s 73 Questions series and claimed she was brought to New York for her first-ever American Vogue cover shoot, adding this to her long list of accolades. 

Making an impact 

As one of the few actors to shine a light on Indian cinema in the international community, Deepika has achieved what many actors dream of: impact. Her series of blockbuster films and her vulnerability have earned her a place in the hearts of her 66.6 million Instagram followers. While seniors such as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan paved a path for her, Deepika has proven to be a distinct personality as an Indian fashion and cinema extraordinaire.

Her recruitment as the first-ever Indian ambassador for Louis Vuitton just after two years of being the first Indian actor to be featured in a campaign for the label speaks to her strength and forte as a superstar accomplishing a cultural reset for South Asian representation on a global platform. 

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