All through the promotions of the beleaguered Padmaavat, Deepika Padukone has been standing tall and speaking up even in the face of coarse allegations and death threats. Nothing can stop the release of this film, she had declared, and she had recently even predicted “earth-shattering box office numbers” for the Sanjay Leela Bhansali historical. Her words are already coming true…
The film has been warmly welcomed by audiences across the country. Padmaavat has raked in Rs.114 crore in four days – making her the “undisputed queen of the Rs.100 crore club,” as trade experts are hailing her. Padmaavat is Deepika's seventh film to garner more than Rs.100 crore in collections, after Chennai Express, Happy New Year, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, Bajirao Mastani, Ram-Leela and Race 2.
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With Deepika being the lead of the film – she was also paid more than Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor – she naturally gets the lion’s share of the credit as well. The film’s success will probably also catapult her on to the list of highest paid actresses internationally.
The stunner reveals that she was well aware of the responsibility she had to shoulder in this big-budget period film. “Being a central protagonist as a female actor and with this kind of budget, I did feel a sense of responsibility...”
She is openly in awe of the role, as she says, “This role of a queen had no crutches like she doesn’t have a sword, she doesn’t get on a horse and goes on the battlefield — but there is sheer inner strength and resilience which I had to show through my eyes.”
The praise has been pouring in, as she tells it: “The amount of love, support is unprecedented and most important the blessings that I am getting. I feel what have I done to deserve this (love)?” Her own parents, she revealed, experienced a sense of disbelief, “like they were thinking is she our daughter?
After all the heartache that surrounded the film that finally released on January 25 after a long struggle, Deepika heaves a huge sigh of relief. “At this point, I am not thinking about the last three months. The last three days have been so overwhelming that nothing else matters. I am in a mood to celebrate. I am grateful for all the love and support.”
One thing is clear though: no more historicals for her. “After all this, not at all!” is her answer to whether she will accept a historical film ever again. But never say never, we say, right Mr Bhansali?!
