Deepika Padukone:

Deepika Padukone has once again become the talk of Bollywood—not for a new film release, but for her fearless decisions to step away from projects that no longer align with her creative vision. After walking out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, the actress recently made headlines for exiting the sequel to the blockbuster science fiction epic Kalki 2898 AD.

In a recent Harper’s Bazaar India interview, the Pathaan and Piku star opened up about her evolved approach to filmmaking. Deepika shared that she’s now more selective about the roles she takes on, focusing on meaningful stories rather than massive budgets and box-office numbers.

“Honestly, how much more fame, how much more success, how much more money? At this stage, it’s not about that anymore. It’s not about the 100-crore films, or even the 500–600 crore ones,” Deepika said.

The actress, who has been part of several 100-crore club movies, admitted that her goals as an artist have changed. Instead of chasing commercial success, she now finds purpose in empowering others and nurturing new creative talent in the industry.

“What excites me is empowering other talent. My team and I are now focused on enabling storytelling and supporting writers, directors, and even new producers. That’s what feels meaningful to me now,” she explained.

Deepika Padukone also reflected on how this clarity has come with time and introspection.

“Was I always this clear? Maybe not. But I’ve reached that clarity now. Do I sometimes look back and think, ‘What was I thinking?’ Of course. That’s part of learning. Maybe 10 years from now, I’ll question some of today’s choices. But right now, they feel honest,” she said.

On the work front, Deepika Padukone’s upcoming movies include King, where she reunites with Shah Rukh Khan, and Atlee’s AA22xA6, also starring Allu Arjun. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how the actress continues to evolve her cinematic journey beyond box-office numbers.

With her decision to walk out of Kalki 2, Deepika Padukone is sending a powerful message — that true success in cinema lies not in the 500-crore films, but in stories that inspire, empower, and leave a lasting impact. For More articles read here