Deepika Padukone has portrayed several challenging roles ever since making her acting debut with Farah Khan’s reincarnation drama Om Shanti Om (2007). But playing Malti in her latest release Chhapaak (2020) has been the most demanding character of her career, and the actress has time and again mentioned the same.
It looks like that playing the role of an acid attack survivor in Meghna Gulzar’s film has indeed taken a toll on the actress and that is why she does not want to do another mentally and emotionally challenging project anytime soon.
Rumours had it lately that Deepika Padukone was in talks with filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar for a biographical film based on the life of Kolkata-based courtesan-turned-theatre artist Binodini Dasi, also known as Notee Binodini. The actress had liked the narration of the movie and was looking forward to listening to the script.
However, the reading session got delayed as Padukone was busy promoting Chhapaak. The latest we hear that the actress has now turned down the project saying that she is looking forward to taking up some light-hearted movies at the moment and nothing intense like Notee Binodini.
"The makers met Deepika a couple of months ago to give her a story narration. She liked the story and agreed to read the script. But then she got busy with Chhapaak promotions and kept them hanging in limbo saying that she would get back to them. Finally, her team reverted after more than a month saying that she couldn’t do the movie as she wanted to do light-hearted subjects and not heavy or serious movies, which would consume her emotionally,” a source tells an entertainment portal.
Now, Pradeep Sarkar has reportedly approached Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to feature in the film. However, the former beauty queen is yet to give her final nod to the project.
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Big B defends his choice to praise Abhishek openly and others privately
Amitabh Bachchan reveals why he praises Abhishek publicly but not Jaya or Aishwarya
Quick highlights:
Amitabh Bachchan has responded to online comments asking why he often praises son Abhishek Bachchan on social media but not wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, or daughter Shweta. The actor explained that while he chooses to support Abhishek publicly, he honours the women in his family privately, saying he prefers to respect them “in his heart.”
Bachchan defends Abhishek praise, addresses fan remarks online
The 81-year-old actor, who regularly shares photos and thoughts with fans, recently posted images of himself meeting admirers outside his Mumbai home, Jalsa. Captioned “Yes, I praise Abhishek. So?”, the post sparked comments from users questioning why he doesn’t do the same for Jaya, Aishwarya, or Shweta.
Responding directly, Bachchan wrote, “Yes, I shall praise them in my heart… not publicly… respect for the ladies.” His reply quickly circulated across platforms, with many praising his thoughtful answer. Others pointed to his tendency to engage more often when defending Abhishek, especially around film releases.
Bachchan also shut down a user accusing him of having “paid fans,” bluntly replying, “Prove it! You are small-minded… why don’t you pay and get fans too?” When another person mocked those waiting outside his home as “unemployed,” he replied with characteristic wit: “So give them a job? When they stand at the gate of Jalsa, they are EMPLOYED in love.”
Actor remains active on social media while juggling film projects
Bachchan has become increasingly interactive online in recent years, often directly responding to criticism and fan feedback. Meanwhile, Abhishek was last seen in Housefull 5, a multi-starrer comedy that released earlier this month. Jaya Bachchan appeared in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023, while Aishwarya Rai was part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films. Despite the online chatter, Amitabh continues to walk his own path, on-screen and online.