Bollywood star Deepika Padukone returns to Hollywood for second film project
Bollywood actress will star and produce cross-cultural romcom
Years after she made her debut in ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’, Indian actress Deepika Padukone will return to Hollywood in a romcom that she will also bankroll through her Ka Productions.
Production company Temple Hill, which was behind the hugely successful ‘Twilight’ saga and ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, is in talks to develop the project, which also has STXfilms on board.
“There is a reason Deepika is one of the biggest global stars to come from India. She is enormously talented with an infectious personality and her profile continues to grow as an international superstar,” said Adam Fogelson, chairman, STXfilms Motion Picture Group in a statement to Deadline.
“While she has been a phenomenal success in many Eros International films, we are thrilled to be building a romantic comedy with her and our friends at Temple Hill. We believe this project gives us the opportunity to tap into the spirit, voice, characters and vibrant settings of India and New York in ways that made ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ feel so authentic and fresh,” Fogelson added.
The film will star Padukone as a lead in a cross-cultural love story that will be centred on her.
“Ka Productions was founded with the aim to develop and produce purposeful content with global appeal. I’m thrilled to be partnering with STXfilms and Temple Hill Productions, who share Ka’s ambition and creative vision and look forward to bringing impactful and dynamic cross-cultural stories to the world,” Padukone also said in a statement.
The Bollywood actress, who is one of the biggest names in the Indian film industry, made her Hollywood debut in the Vin Diesel action film in 2017 as the female lead. There has been speculation that she would return to the franchise but there has been no update from the film unit in this regard.
Padukone, meanwhile, has earned a name for herself on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet and as an annual fixture at the prestigious Met Gala. In 2018, she was also listed by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Aside from being a strong advocate for mental health through her LiveLoveLaugh foundation, Padukone also has an envious roster of Bollywood films in the works, including the Hindi remake of ‘The Intern’, ‘83’ opposite her husband Ranveer Singh, ‘Fighter’ with Hrithik Roshan, ‘Pathan’ with Shah Rukh Khan and an untitled project with Shakun Batra.