Deepika Padukone (born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress and producer, and one of the highest-paid actresses in Hindi cinema. She is the daughter of the badminton champion Prakash Padukone. She played badminton at national level before turning to modelling and then acting. She rose to fame opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007) and has since starred in hits such as Chennai Express, Padmaavat and Pathaan. She is also known for speaking publicly about depression and for her work on mental health.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Deepika Padukone |
| Born | 5 January 1986, Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Age | 40 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Actress, producer, entrepreneur |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Father | Prakash Padukone (badminton champion) |
| Spouse | Ranveer Singh (m. 2018) |
| Children | 2 daughters (Dua, born 2024; second daughter born 2026) |
| Ventures | Ka Productions, The Live Love Laugh Foundation, 82°E |
| Known for | Om Shanti Om, Piku, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Pathaan |
Early Life
Padukone was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, where her father, the former world-champion badminton player Prakash Padukone, was then based. The family moved to Bangalore (now Bengaluru) when she was a baby. She played badminton competitively and reached national level as a teenager. She then decided to pursue modelling instead and became a successful model in the mid-2000s.
Career
Padukone made her film debut in the Kannada film Aishwarya (2006). Her Hindi debut came the next year, in a double role opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om (2007). The film was a blockbuster and won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. She followed it with Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal (2009) and Cocktail (2012), which critics saw as a turning point in her career.
In 2013 she starred in four hits in a row: Race 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Chennai Express and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, co-starring Ranveer Singh. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Ram-Leela and again for Shoojit Sircar’s comedy-drama Piku (2015). She worked with Bhansali again on Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018), playing the queen Padmavati in the latter, which was a major hit. She made her Hollywood debut in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017).
Through her company Ka Productions, Padukone produced and starred in Chhapaak (2020), about an acid-attack survivor, and 83 (2021). She starred in Gehraiyaan (2022), and in 2023 she reunited with Shah Rukh Khan in Pathaan and made a special appearance in Jawan. She has since appeared in Fighter (2024), the science-fiction epic Kalki 2898 AD (2024) and Singham Again (2024). She is in the cast of Shah Rukh Khan’s King, due in December 2026.
Mental Health Advocacy and Business
In 2015 Padukone spoke publicly about her experience of clinical depression, which was rare for an Indian celebrity at the time. She founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation to raise awareness of mental health. The World Economic Forum gave her its Crystal Award for this work in 2020. In 2022 she launched the self-care brand 82°E.
Personal Life
Padukone married her Ram-Leela co-star Ranveer Singh in November 2018 at Lake Como, Italy. Their first daughter, Dua, was born in September 2024. On 19 September 2026 the couple announced the birth of their second daughter.
Awards and Honours
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Deepika Padukone born?
Deepika Padukone was born on 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark and is 40 years old.
What is Deepika Padukone known for?
Known for: Om Shanti Om, Piku, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Pathaan.
Featured image: Deepika Padukone at the 3rd Annual Academy Museum Gala, Los Angeles, December 2023. Photo by Danisamuel, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
