In a recent interview, '83' actress Deepika Padukone talked about female-fronted films, and why she did not hang on to a Hollywood career, among other things. Talking about women taking over the film industry, Deepika said, “My very first film 'Om Shanti Om' was with a female director. We have come a long way, at least in terms of the roles being written for women. Also, there are more female technicians. I think that's also a function of women now being more comfortable with choosing this as a profession. More women want to be independent... and then there's the broadening of the understanding of the film industry. There was a lot of stigma earlier as far as the film industry was concerned, specifically regarding women.”
She added, “There’s a lot more open-mindedness today. The kind of roles, even from an actor’s perspective… the roles I am being offered today vis-à-vis 10 years ago, definitely things have changed.”
When asked why she didn't take up films in Hollywood, Padukone said, “I don't look or evaluate films as Indian or international, but as a medium where I can express myself. If that opportunity is in India, great. If that is out of the United States or another part of the world, I am happy to explore that too. For me, it's always been content. I did 'Xander Cage' because it was an extremely powerful, strong character to play. Eventually, it’s about the character and role, and of course, the film. It’s not like I’m actively seeking something in Hollywood. Whether India or any other part in the world, great content is what I seek.”
On the work front, the actress will be next seen in a Bollywood remake of Anna Hathaway and Robert de Niro's 'The Intern'.
