Deepika Padukone is redefining success after more than a decade of starring in Bollywood’s highest-grossing films. The actress claims she now values authenticity and work-life balance over box-office success and high-profile film projects.
The actress, who has been outspoken about fair working hours and pay parity in the film industry, stated that she has reached a stage in her career where her goals have drastically changed and celebrity and money no longer influence her decisions. It’s no longer about that at this point. In a recent interview, she stated, “It’s not about the Rs 100-crore films, or even the Rs 500–600 crore ones.”
Industry rumors over the past few months have stated that Padukone withdrew from two prominent movies, “Spirit” and “Kalki 2898 AD,” both of which starred Prabhas, due to concerns over fair compensation and a request for an eight-hour work shift.
Learn More About Deepika Padukone
“I don’t accept anything that doesn’t feel authentic to me. Occasionally, people make large financial offers and believe that’s sufficient, but that’s not always the case. Conversely, even though certain things might not be very profitable, I will still support them because I have faith in the individuals or the message. Was I this clear all along? Perhaps not. But I’ve now come to that realization. Do I ever ask myself, “What was I thinking?” when I look back? Naturally. That is a component of education. I might reconsider some of today’s decisions in ten years. However, they feel honest at the moment.
“I get excited about empowering other talented people. Now, my team and I are concentrating on helping writers, directors, and new producers in order to enable storytelling. I now find that to be important,” she remarked.
“We have normalized overworking,” Padukone added, criticizing the industry’s long-standing problems with work culture and its exaltation of burnout. We confuse commitment with burnout. For the human body and mind, eight hours of work per day is plenty. You can only perform at your best when you are in good health. No one benefits when a burned-out individual is reintegrated into the system.
