Ten years. 32 films. Many highs and some lows. Deepika Padukone, badminton player, model and actress, has emerged as one of the most influential women representing popular Indian culture in recent times.

The Woods spoke to a cross-section of people in the industry and outside for their take on the supergirl. 

STAR TO ACTRESS

Farah Khan, who directed Deepika in her debut film Om Shanti Om

“See where she has reached from where she started. I always knew she is going to be a star, but the kind of change she has brought in herself, even in her voice and dialogue delivery… The change she brought about in her accent is commendable. I always knew she was going to be a star, but I never knew she will be such a good actress. It’s all her hard work. In Happy New Year, she was a different person — her confidence, understanding of scenes and performance surprised me.”

DIRECTOR’S ACTOR

Homi Adjania, director of Cocktail and Finding Fanny

“The first time we worked together, I helped her use her fears and she taught me how to let an actor go once they surrender completely. When working, our relationship is defined by an unquestionable trust. There are no formalities or games....”

MODERN-AGE MADHURI

Shailesh Kapoor, media observer, Ormax Media

“Deepika Padukone has been the most successful female actor of this decade, and arguably the most successful since Madhuri Dixit in the 1990s. 2013 was her break-out year, with four big hits.

Since then, she has never looked back with great performances in Piku and Bajirao Mastani.”

Miss composure

Bharathi S. Pradhan, senior journalist and author

“I’ve known and watched her since she was a model. She carried herself with the poise of a veteran matinee idol. For that, I’d credit her parents who gave her the security of a family she could fall back on. Professionally, one doesn’t have to know her to see how she’s grown as an actress but personally, there is one marked change. During Om Shanti Om, when I’d asked her if she was excited, she’d told that she was someone who would always be composed. I’d never find her either exuberant over success or down-in-dumps over failure. That she’d always be equanimous, calm and composed.”

BRAND BLOCKBUSTER

Prabhat Choudhary of Spice, a PR and marketing agency, who has been working with the actress since 2012

“She is successful, independent and at the same time socially conscious. What makes Deepika unique is that she embodies everything that today’s youth aspires for and respects. She is a self-achiever, independent and her choices aren’t conventional so to speak. And at the same time she is a family girl increasingly conscious of her role as the eldest daughter of her parents. She is the most followed Indian woman on social media, something that is increasingly becoming the barometer of appeal and influence. By far she has emerged as one of the most wholesome brand that has developed a unique appeal to the young country that is India.”

ROLE MODEL

Dr Harish Shetty, psychiatrist

“Deepika broke the iron curtain of stigma towards mental illness. Her open sharing of her experience with depression opened the doors for lakhs to seek help. Deepika with her gesture of hope has saved thousands of lives as those suicidal reached mental health professionals. So many patients coming from all over tell us, ‘We have the same symptoms that Deepika has’.”

BOX-OFFICE QUEEN

Amul Mohan, trade analyst

“Deepika is one actress who has shown tremendous form since she started in 2007. She is one of those actresses who have a great box office standing and has the capacity to draw audiences to the theatres. It is still a rare phenomenon for an actress to command that kind of respect. Her best year until now was in 2013 when she had four major films.”

Bharati K. Dubey