Deepika Padukone is an Indian actress and producer who rose from national-level badminton in Bengaluru to become one of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars and its most recognisable global face, with three Filmfare Awards, a Time 100 honour, and the first song from her upcoming film King released on 2 November 2026.
Quick facts
- Full name: Deepika Prakash Padukone
- Born: 5 January 1986, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Nationality: Indian
- Occupation: Actress and producer
- Known for: Om Shanti Om, Ram-Leela, Piku, Padmaavat, Pathaan, Kalki 2898 AD, King
- Spouse/partner: Ranveer Singh (married 2018)
- Children: Two daughters, Dua (born 2024) and Devi (born 2026), as publicly announced by the couple
Early life and background
Deepika Prakash Padukone was born on 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Konkani-speaking Indian parents, and moved with her family to Bengaluru when she was about 11 months old, where she was raised (Britannica). Her father is Prakash Padukone, the former badminton star who became the first Indian to win the All England Open, in 1980; her mother Ujjala worked as a travel agent, and her younger sister Anisha is a golfer. Deepika herself played badminton at national-level championships as a teenager before leaving competitive sport for modelling. She was schooled at Sophia High School in Bengaluru and later attended Mount Carmel College, briefly enrolling at IGNOU for a sociology degree before modelling work took over.
From modelling to the movies
Padukone had modelled as a child and gained early recognition in a Liril soap commercial. Her runway debut came at Lakmé Fashion Week in 2005 for designer Suneet Varma, and she was named Model of the Year at the Kingfisher Fashion Awards that year, followed by an appearance in the popular 2006 Kingfisher Calendar. Her acting debut was the title role in the Kannada film Aishwarya (2006). Her Bollywood debut followed a year later, opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om (2007), a dual role that made her an overnight star and won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.
Breakthrough and the 2013 peak
After early films including Love Aaj Kal (2009), which brought her first Filmfare Best Actress nomination, Padukone’s career turned with Cocktail (2012), where her performance as Veronica earned another Best Actress nomination. Then came 2013, a year few Hindi-film actors have matched: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Chennai Express and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela all released in the same year, and Ram-Leela won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. It was on the sets of Ram-Leela that she met Ranveer Singh, whom she would later marry.
Prestige roles, Hollywood and global recognition
In 2015 Padukone won her second Filmfare Best Actress award for Piku, playing a daughter caring for her ageing father, and starred as Mastani in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani. Her Hollywood debut came in 2017 opposite Vin Diesel in xXx: Return of Xander Cage. She played Rani Padmavati in Bhansali’s Padmaavat (2018), which earned her another Filmfare Best Actress nomination. Along the way she collected honours beyond cinema: the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award in 2020 for her mental-health advocacy, a place on the Time 100 list in 2018, a Time100 Impact Award in 2022, a seat on the Cannes Film Festival jury in 2022, and the honour of unveiling the FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022. In July 2025 she was announced as part of the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s Class of 2026.
Producer, advocate and entrepreneur
Padukone founded the Live Love Laugh Foundation in 2015, after speaking publicly about her own experience of depression, to work on stress, anxiety and depression awareness in India; in October 2025 she was appointed India’s first Mental Health Ambassador by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Her production company Ka Productions, founded in 2018, produced Chhapaak (2020), in which she played acid-attack survivor Malti, and 83 (2021), in which she played Romi Dev opposite Singh’s Kapil Dev. In November 2022 she launched her self-care brand 82°E, which raised a reported $7.5 million seed round the following month. She became Louis Vuitton’s first Indian House Ambassador in May 2022 and a Cartier global ambassador in October 2022.
Recent years: blockbusters, exits and King
Padukone returned to the top of the box office in 2023 with Pathaan and an appearance in Jawan, both opposite Shah Rukh Khan, and in 2024 starred in Fighter, Kalki 2898 AD as Sumathi, and Singham Again. In 2025 she exited two high-profile projects: Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit in May, amid press reports of disagreements over working hours and remuneration, and the Kalki 2898 AD sequel in September, when Vyjayanthi Movies announced she would not return, saying the two sides could not find a partnership. The reasons for both exits were not officially confirmed, and she later defended the idea of an eight-hour working day in an October 2025 interview. Her next release is King, directed by Siddharth Anand and due in cinemas worldwide on 24 December 2026; its first song, “Tu Mil Jaaye”, featuring Padukone opposite Shah Rukh Khan with vocals by Arijit Singh and Madhubanti Bagchi and an English rap by Ed Sheeran, was released on 2 November 2026, Shah Rukh Khan’s 61st birthday (India TV, CNBC-TV18).
Personal life
Padukone married actor Ranveer Singh on 14–15 November 2018 at Lake Como, Italy, in Konkani and Sindhi ceremonies. Their first daughter, Dua Padukone Singh, was born on 8 September 2024, with her name and first photo shared publicly that Diwali. Their second daughter was born on 19 September 2026 and named Devi Padukone Singh on 20 October 2026, as announced by the couple (The Telegraph). Beyond the names and dates the couple themselves announced, the family keeps the children’s lives private, and so does this article.
Net worth snapshot
Padukone’s wealth is estimated by Indian media at around ₹500 crore, about $60 million, though no Forbes, Bloomberg or Hurun estimate exists. The full breakdown — and why the trackers disagree — is in Deepika Padukone’s net worth article.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Deepika Padukone?
Deepika Padukone is an Indian actress and producer born on 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen and raised in Bengaluru. She debuted in Bollywood with Om Shanti Om (2007) and has won three Filmfare Awards, for Om Shanti Om, Ram-Leela and Piku.
Why is Deepika Padukone trending in November 2026?
She features in “Tu Mil Jaaye”, the first song from Shah Rukh Khan’s film King, released on 2 November 2026, Shah Rukh Khan’s 61st birthday. The song pairs Arijit Singh and Madhubanti Bagchi’s vocals with an English rap by Ed Sheeran, ahead of the film’s 24 December 2026 release.
How many Filmfare Awards has Deepika Padukone won?
Three: Best Female Debut for Om Shanti Om, and Best Actress for Ram-Leela and for Piku.
Is Deepika Padukone married?
Yes. She married actor Ranveer Singh on 14–15 November 2018 at Lake Como, Italy. The couple have two daughters, Dua (born 2024) and Devi (born 2026).
What is Deepika Padukone’s foundation?
The Live Love Laugh Foundation, founded by Padukone in 2015, works on awareness of stress, anxiety and depression in India. In October 2025 she was appointed India’s first Mental Health Ambassador.
Sources
- Britannica — Deepika Padukone
- Filmfare — Deepika Padukone’s Filmfare journey
- India TV — King first song “Tu Mil Jaaye” out (2 Nov 2026)
- CNBC-TV18 — SRK turns 61, King song release (2 Nov 2026)
- The Live Love Laugh Foundation — 10 years of impact
- The Indian Express — 82°E launch (2022)
- The Telegraph — Second daughter named Devi Padukone Singh (Oct 2026)