Deepika Padukone is one of the most influential and highest-paid actresses in Indian cinema, celebrated for her versatility across Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu films. Beginning her career as a professional model before making her acting debut in the 2006 Kannada film Aishwarya, she rose to national prominence with her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007), for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.
Over nearly two decades, Padukone has built a filmography spanning romantic comedies, period epics and pan-Indian blockbusters, earning three Filmfare Awards, international recognition from Time magazine and the World Economic Forum, and a reputation as a fiercely disciplined performer. She is also known for founding The Live Love Laugh Foundation, a mental health awareness organisation, and for her marriage to actor Ranveer Singh.
Deepika Padukone Quick Facts
| Full Name | Deepika Padukone |
| Profession | Actress, Producer, Former Model |
| Date of Birth | 5 January 1986 |
| Age | 40 years (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Years Active | 2004–Present (modeling from 2004; acting from 2006) |
| Debut | Aishwarya (2006, Kannada) |
| Breakthrough | Om Shanti Om (2007) |
| Total Movies | 36 films (34 released, 2 upcoming) |
| Known For | Om Shanti Om, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Piku, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Pathaan |
| Parents | Prakash Padukone (father, former badminton champion), Ujjala Padukone (mother, travel agent) |
| Siblings | Anisha Padukone (younger sister, professional golfer) |
| Spouse | Ranveer Singh (m. 2018) |
| Children | Two daughters: Dua (b. 8 September 2024) and a second daughter (b. 19 September 2026) |
| Education | Sophia High School and Mount Carmel College, Bangalore; sociology degree (incomplete) via IGNOU |
Deepika Padukone Career in Numbers
Deepika Padukone’s two-decade career reflects a steady climb from a modest Kannada debut to becoming one of Bollywood’s most bankable and highest-paid stars, with several of her films ranking among the highest-grossing Indian releases of their respective years.
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Movies | 36 (34 released, 2 upcoming) |
| Career Span | 2006–present (20 years) |
| Recognition/Awards | 3 Filmfare Awards from 10 nominations; Time100 (2018) and Time100 Impact Award (2022); World Economic Forum Crystal Award (2018, 2020) |
| Notable Year | 2010 and 2024 — five and three releases respectively; 2013 called her “landmark year” with four major hits |
| Major Breakthrough | Pan-Indian expansion via Kochadaiiyaan (Tamil, 2014) and Kalki 2898 AD (Telugu, 2024) |
Early Life and Family
Deepika Padukone was born on 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and was raised in Bangalore, India, from the age of one. Her father, Prakash Padukone, is a legendary former badminton champion, and her mother, Ujjala, worked as a travel agent. Her younger sister, Anisha Padukone, is a professional golfer. Deepika herself trained seriously in badminton as a child, playing at the national championship level, before shifting her focus to modeling in the tenth grade.
She studied at Sophia High School and Mount Carmel College in Bangalore, later enrolling for a sociology degree through the Indira Gandhi National Open University, which she left incomplete due to the demands of her modeling and acting career.
Deepika Padukone Career Journey
Debut and Early Career (2004–2011)
Padukone began modeling full-time in 2004 and made her runway debut at Lakmé Fashion Week in 2005, going on to win Model of the Year at the Kingfisher Fashion Awards. She made her acting debut with the Kannada film Aishwarya (2006) before achieving her true breakthrough in Bollywood with Om Shanti Om (2007) opposite Shah Rukh Khan, which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. The years that followed included the commercial hit Love Aaj Kal (2009) but also a string of underperforming films such as Chandni Chowk to China (2009) and several 2010–2011 releases, a period during which critics felt she had “lost her sparkle.”
Breakthrough and Rise (2012–2015)
Cocktail (2012) marked a turning point, with Padukone praised as “the soul of the film.” Her landmark year came in 2013 with four major hits — Race 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Chennai Express and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, the last of which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She continued this momentum with Finding Fanny and Happy New Year (2014), followed by Piku, which won her a second Filmfare Best Actress award, and the historical epic Bajirao Mastani (2015), in which she played the warrior-princess Mastani.
Pan-Indian and International Expansion (2014–2018)
Padukone extended her reach beyond Hindi cinema with the Tamil film Kochadaiiyaan (2014) and made her Hollywood debut in XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017) opposite Vin Diesel. She then starred in Padmaavat (2018), a historical drama that became one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films despite facing violent protests over its subject matter. The same period saw her recognised internationally, including a place on Time magazine’s 100 most influential people list.
Production Ventures and Recent Work (2019–Present)
In 2018, Padukone launched her own production house, Ka Productions, backing socially driven films such as Chhapaak (2020), in which she played an acid-attack survivor. She later starred in the sports drama 83 (2021) and the Amazon Prime Video film Gehraiyaan (2022). Her career reached new commercial heights in 2023 with Pathaan and Jawan, both alongside Shah Rukh Khan, and in 2024 she appeared in three major releases — Fighter, the Telugu science-fiction epic Kalki 2898 AD, and Singham Again — cementing her status as a leading pan-Indian star. She is set to next appear in Raaka opposite Allu Arjun and the action film King.
Deepika Padukone Movies: Complete Filmography
Deepika Padukone has appeared in 36 films across her career — 34 released and 2 upcoming — spanning Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and English-language cinema. The table below lists her complete filmography in chronological order.
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Aishwarya | Aishwarya | Kannada debut; title role |
| 2007 | Om Shanti Om | Shantipriya / Sandhya | Bollywood debut; Filmfare Best Female Debut |
| 2008 | Bachna Ae Haseeno | Mahi Arora | — |
| 2009 | Chandni Chowk to China | Sakhi / Meow Meow | Dual role; commercial failure |
| 2009 | Love Aaj Kal | Meera Pandit | Best Actress nomination |
| 2010 | Karthik Calling Karthik | Shonali Mukherjee | — |
| 2010 | Housefull | Sandy | — |
| 2010 | Lafangey Parindey | Pinky Palkar | Played a blind skater |
| 2010 | Break Ke Baad | Aaliya Khan | — |
| 2010 | Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey | Kalpana Datta | Based on the Chittagong armoury raid |
| 2011 | Dum Maaro Dum | Zoe | Special appearance |
| 2011 | Aarakshan | Poorbi Sharma | — |
| 2011 | Desi Boyz | Radha | Special appearance |
| 2012 | Cocktail | Veronica | Career turning point |
| 2013 | Race 2 | Elena | — |
| 2013 | Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani | Naina Talwar | — |
| 2013 | Chennai Express | Meenamma | Tamil-accented role |
| 2013 | Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela | Leela | Filmfare & Screen Best Actress |
| 2014 | Kochadaiiyaan | Princess Vadhana | Tamil; motion-capture film |
| 2014 | Finding Fanny | Angie | Screened at Busan Film Festival |
| 2014 | Happy New Year | Mohini | — |
| 2015 | Piku | Piku Banerjee | Filmfare & Screen Best Actress |
| 2015 | Tamasha | Tara Maheshwari | Commercial failure, critically noted |
| 2015 | Bajirao Mastani | Mastani | Best Actress nomination |
| 2017 | XXX: Return of Xander Cage | Serena Unger | Hollywood debut (English) |
| 2018 | Padmaavat | Rani Padmavati | Best Actress nomination |
| 2020 | Chhapaak | Malti | Based on acid-attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal |
| 2021 | 83 | Romi Dev | Sports drama on the 1983 World Cup |
| 2022 | Gehraiyaan | Alisha | Amazon Prime Video release |
| 2023 | Pathaan | Rubina Mohsin / Rubai | YRF Spy Universe; record-breaking hit |
| 2023 | Jawan | Narmada Rai | Special appearance |
| 2024 | Fighter | Squadron Leader Minal Rathore | — |
| 2024 | Kalki 2898 AD | SUM-80 / Sumathi | Telugu; record-budget sci-fi epic |
| 2024 | Singham Again | Special appearance | Rohit Shetty’s Cop Universe |
| TBA | Raaka | TBA | Upcoming; opposite Allu Arjun |
| TBA | King | TBA | Upcoming; action film |
Deepika Padukone Awards and Achievements
| Year | Award | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut | For Om Shanti Om |
| 2013 | Screen Award for Best Actress | For Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela |
| 2013 | Filmfare Award for Best Actress | For Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela |
| 2015 | Filmfare Award for Best Actress | For Piku |
| 2018 | World Economic Forum Crystal Award | For mental health advocacy |
| 2018 | Time 100 Most Influential People | Global recognition |
| 2020 | World Economic Forum Crystal Award | Second honor for mental health advocacy |
| 2022 | Time100 Impact Award | Global recognition |
Beyond her wins, Padukone has received ten Filmfare Award nominations across categories, along with recognition from Forbes, Variety and India Today as one of the most powerful and influential women in Indian entertainment.
Deepika Padukone Personal Life
Deepika Padukone dated actor Ranbir Kapoor between 2008 and 2009 after they co-starred in Bachna Ae Haseeno. She began a relationship with actor Ranveer Singh in 2012, whom she had met and worked with on several films, and the couple married in November 2018 in traditional Konkani Hindu and Sikh Anand Karaj ceremonies held at Lake Como, Italy. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Dua, on 8 September 2024, and their second daughter on 19 September 2026, announced by Deepika on Instagram.
Padukone has also spoken publicly about her experience with depression and anxiety, which she first disclosed in 2015, and has since become one of India’s most prominent mental health advocates.
Deepika Padukone Net Worth
Estimated Net Worth: Approximately ₹500 crore.
Net worth figures are estimates based on publicly reported information, such as media reports, published rich lists and election affidavits. They are not audited financial statements and may not account for liabilities, family holdings or changes in asset values.
Lesser-Known Facts About Deepika Padukone
- Before entering modeling and acting, Padukone competed in badminton at the national championship level, following in the footsteps of her father, badminton legend Prakash Padukone.
- She also played baseball at the state tournament level as a child.
- Her voice was dubbed by playback artist Mona Ghosh Shetty in her Bollywood debut, Om Shanti Om.
- She learned sword-fighting, horse-riding and the martial art kalaripayattu to prepare for her role in Bajirao Mastani.
- Her performance in Chandni Chowk to China required her to learn jujutsu and perform her own stunts.
- In 2015, she founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation to raise mental health awareness in India, drawing on her own experience with depression.
Legacy and Impact
Deepika Padukone’s career reflects a rare trajectory from an early slump to becoming one of the most bankable and internationally recognised faces of Indian cinema. Beyond her box-office success, her openness about mental health, her ventures into production and entrepreneurship, and her pan-Indian and international film choices have expanded what is possible for a leading actress from the Hindi film industry, making her a benchmark figure for the generation of stars that followed her.
Frequently Asked Questions About Deepika Padukone
Who is Deepika Padukone?
Deepika Padukone is an Indian actress and producer known for her work in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu cinema, and for films such as Om Shanti Om, Piku, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat and Pathaan.
How old is Deepika Padukone?
Deepika Padukone was born on 5 January 1986, making her 40 years old as of 2026.
Is Deepika Padukone married?
Yes, Deepika Padukone married actor Ranveer Singh in November 2018. The couple has two daughters: Dua, born on 8 September 2024, and their second daughter, born on 19 September 2026.
What role brought Deepika Padukone major recognition?
Her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007) brought her to national prominence, while her landmark 2013 releases and her Filmfare Award-winning performances in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela and Piku cemented her as a leading actress.
How many movies has Deepika Padukone acted in?
Deepika Padukone has appeared in 36 films across her career, including 34 released titles and 2 upcoming projects, spanning Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and English-language cinema.
What is Deepika Padukone’s net worth?
Deepika Padukone’s estimated net worth is approximately ₹500 crore, based on publicly reported estimates. Net worth figures are estimates and are not audited financial statements.
Final Summary
Deepika Padukone’s journey from a national-level badminton player and fashion model to one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated and highest-paid actresses reflects both talent and resilience. From an early career slump to a string of era-defining hits like Piku, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat and Pathaan, she has consistently reinvented herself while expanding into production, entrepreneurship and international cinema.
Beyond her on-screen achievements, Padukone’s advocacy for mental health awareness and her willingness to take on socially conscious roles have made her a cultural figure whose influence extends well beyond the box office, ensuring her continued relevance as Indian cinema grows on the global stage.