Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone is Time magazine’s latest cover star, speaking about the country’s growing global footprint, her own global celebrity status, as well as a “new India” that is emerging.
“My mission has always been to make a global impact while still being rooted in my country,” she said, crediting smartphones, streaming services and social media for new audiences for India’s century-old film industry, including propelling her own rise.
“Indian cinema has transcended borders and Indians are everywhere, so the fame goes wherever you go.”
The said film industry, a production in its own right, churns out 1,500 stories a year on the screen. At the same time, Netflix and Amazon are also eager to create content that caters to the vast South Asian viewership of nearly 2 billion people – currently the most populous nation in the world.
Padukone reflected on how “there’s the India with our roots, our heritage, our history, but there’s also a new and young India that’s emerging”.
“It’s these two Indias coming together that I find really fascinating at this moment.”
Padukone has appeared in more than 30 films that generated nearly $350 million in global box-office revenues. She is currently the highest-paid actress in India and boasts 74 million followers on Instagram.
On the global front, she made an appearance earlier this year at the 95th Academy Awards to introduce ‘Naatu Naatu,’ the Oscar winner for Best Original Song from the movie ‘RRR’.
She also served on the jury for the 75th Cannes Film Festival last year. Amongst the honours, she was also tasked with announcing the winner of the coveted Palme d’Or award, where part of her job entailed “educating everyone around me that Indian movies are more than just song and dance,” she said.
The experience also made her wonder why more Indian films weren’t being showcased on a global stage,
“I would say that Hindi cinema has evolved, but we still have a long way to go,” she said. “Why haven’t we had a better moment?”
Last year, Padukone became the first Indian brand ambassador for storied French couture house Louis Vuitton and luxury French jeweller Cartier.
Deepika Padukone attends the Louis Vuitton show at Musee d’Orsay in Paris
Time, citing publication Business of Fashion, reported that Padukone accounted for seven of Louis Vuitton’s top 10 Instagram posts, generating more than 25% of the brand’s $20.2 million in media impact value during the Cannes Film Festival, according to data analytics and marketing agency Launchmetrics.
An Instagram post of Padukone in a floor-sweeping red Louis Vuitton gown garnered more than 2 million likes and generated more than a million dollars in media impact value.
Over the years, she has made numerous appearances at global events like the Met Gala and the Cannes Film Festival red carpet as L’Oreal ambassador.
Among her other sponsors include Levi’s, Adidas, L’Oreal, and Tissot – all brands that see Padukone as their gateway to a growing Indian market.
Last month, French luxury couture house Dior hosted its first official show in the country.
It is estimated that India will soon become the world’s third largest apparel and footwear market, predicted to be worth more than $83 billion by 2025, added Time, according to data from Euromonitor.
Deepika Padukone to unveil FIFA World Cup trophy during final: report
Reflecting on her trajectory, she shared, “I didn’t have a game plan for how to get here, but I didn’t see failure on my vision board.”
On the personal front, Padukone married fellow Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh in a private celebration in Lake Como, Italy, in 2018. She was dressed exclusively by luxury Indian couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee and the wedding posts remain the most double-tapped posts on Instagram, added Time.
Looking on to future conquests, she said, “This is India’s moment. So how can I marry the best of the East and the West?”