As 1.4 billion Indians could tell you, Deepika Padukone is the queen of Bollywood.
She grew out of it when she was about five.
(The minute my sister was born, I calmed down and I became protective and maternal.)
But metaphorically, you might say Padukones feet still havent touched the ground.
Before Padukone ascended to her Bollywood throne, she ruled over another court: badminton.
What began for her as an after-school hobby quickly turned into competition at the national level.
You make certain sacrifices.
Somewhere between competitions, she started modeling at the behest of a friends mother, who ran an agency.
I sat [my parents] down and had this conversation with them and they were supportive.
Supriya Lele bodysuit and trousers.
Photographed by Rid Burman.
Fashion stylist: Priyanka Kapadia.
Hair: Yianni Tsapatori.
Makeup: Daniel Bauer.
Manicure: Pooja K and Sunita P. Set design: Sandesh Kambli.
Production: Khatri Productions.
Busy is a rather humble way to characterize Padukones quick ascent.
She received several movie offers, but I wasnt ready for them, she says.
I ask her if shes a big believer in thetiming of the universe.
Sometimes I just know [things] deep down inside.
I dont have to vocalize it.
I dont have to say it to anyone.
Wed sit in a [movie] theater and Id see some of these actresses onscreen.
I dont know what it was.
I just looked at them and felt like, This is where Im going to be, she says.
And, honestly, I did nothing to consciously work toward that, which I find so strange.
When the timing was right, she did, however, pursue one of those film roles.
A very prominent director noticed me in one of these [modeling] campaigns.
She was casting for a movie opposite Indias biggest superstar, says Padukone.
He was then and he continues to be.
They never auditioned me.
I was able to let go of my inhibitions.
Chhapaakwas the first film undertaken by Ka Productions, a company formed by Padukone in 2018.
Serving as a producer puts her in the drivers seat for creative and operational decisions.
Things are just brushed under the carpet, she says.
I think its important for the crew to be compensated for [overtime].
And if you do go over, you have to ensure that everyone gets at least a 12-hour turnaround.
[But] I think we have a long way to go.
Focusing on the importance of mental health is my calling.
Padukone didnt always share her opinions so freely.
Shes referencing the decision she made in 2015 to share her struggle with depression with the world.
Life just felt meaningless.
But, of course, theres always more to something or someone than what meets the eye.
I had this blockbuster year and everything was going perfectly well.
I was in this relationship [with the person] who Im married to now.
And everything was perfect.
Like, how could life be any better?
I think thats probably how it seemed to everyone around me, including myself.
Padukones mother was the first to recognize that her daughter needed professional help.
The actor was immediately prescribed medication, but resisted it for a very long time.
Today, she sees being open aboutmental healthas an equally important step in her own healing.
The Attico top and skirt.
Anushka Jain Jewellery and Zevar King rings.
Padukones story inspired not just one person, but likely millions.
She established theLiveLoveLaugh Foundationto keep the conversation going and to provide resources for those who are suffering.
And thats just the start of what Padukone hopes to accomplish.
I think that focusing on the importance of mental health is what my calling is, she says.
Its work that I will continue to do.
And hopefully the foundation will survive even beyond me.
Padukone, though just 36, has been thinking about her legacy a lot lately.
And what is it that I want to leave behind?
With that in mind, its fitting that beauty specifically,skin care will launch first.
I wanted the products to reflect my journey and my experience.
Ive led this life of being how do I say this?
I think the line and the collection is an extension of that.
I think thats where the modern Indian woman is today.
She can embrace the best of both worlds.
She also envisions launching candles, athleisure, and home decor in the years ahead.
Ive always been fascinated by spaces, interiors, and that sort of thing, she says.
I smile, thinking about how Padukone went from scaling couch cushions to now, perhaps, creating them.
And so begins another climb.
