Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 29, 2020)

In her 13 years in Bollywood, right from Om Shanti Om (2007) to Padmaavat (2018), Deepika Padukone’s choice of films has reflected her clarity of mind. The 34-year-old takes her time, often pausing while answering questions, but one can rest assured that she won’t mince any words. With a busy 2020 ahead, including a remake of Hollywood film, The Intern (2015), which she’s also producing, and a yet-untitled Shakun Batra film, the actor talks to us about Bollywood’s evolution. Excerpts:

A lot has changed since you made your debut — especially with more female-fronted films being made, and female actors turning producers. Is the difference very stark now?
It is... But my very first film, Om Shanti Om, was with a female director (Farah Khan). 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. There were all kinds of perceptions about the safety of women in this field. A lot of things have evolved and changed. Women are confident of following their hearts. I know so many women who have given up big corporate jobs to become writers and work in creative fields. 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.

At a press conference recently, you were told ‘Ranveer sir bhi ek tarah se producer hain kyunki ghar ka paisa laga hua hai’, implying that the films you produce are then your ‘home productions’. You had to clarify ‘Mere khud ke paise hain’.
I do understand there are several things to it — one is to, at an event like that, look for a sensational headline. The other thing is the deep-rooted understanding that a woman can be, or rather cannot be financially independent! Or a woman is always dependent on her male, whether it’s her father, partner or husband! To be able to do certain jobs that for years we have always understood or assumed only a man can do… I think there were multiple layers to that question. There is that thing of maybe their own understanding, maybe of the fact that women cannot be financially independent. Without meaning it, it ended up being a very layered question.

You are doing the remake of a Hollywood film. But after xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (2017)  you didn’t take up films in the West. Are you looking for more Hollywood projects?
I don’t look or evaluate films as Indian or international, but as a medium where I can express myself. If that opportunity is out of 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.

There are rumours that you are going to star in Krrish 4?
That’s news to me! I haven’t heard that one before. Having said that, Hrithik (Roshan) is amazing and talented. As an actor, I would want to collaborate with him.

Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; January 9, 2020)

Sharad Kelkar has been a part of numerous television shows and now, has many films to his credit, but that still didn’t prepare him for the time he was approached for the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the film Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. “I thought they were looking for a bigger star for the role,” says the actor, adding, “I was shocked that they were considering me for the part. Of course, eventually, I was happy to see the resemblance during the look test.” In fact, his avatar as the Maratha warrior king seems to have confused his five-year-old daughter Kesha, who on spotting the historical figure’s statue at the Gateway of India, asked him, “Dad, is that you?”

Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior is Sharad’s first brush with a period film. “Since it’s my first historical film, I was very careful about the way I portrayed the character. Om Raut (director) made me rehearse each scene several times. He wanted me to portray the character so strongly that he said, ‘Dialogues theatre mein goonjne chahiye’. He boosted my confidence so much that I did not have a single retake. Everybody has read about Shivaji Maharaj’s bravery and his strategies, but this film reveals new aspects of his personality — like the bond he shared with his mother Rajmata Jijabai as well as Tanhaji.”

Speaking about his off-screen bond with costar Ajay Devgn, who plays the titular role, he says, “I have worked with Ajay in Baadshaho, and he would leave us in splits. This time, however, it being a period film, we were serious on the set.”

Currently busy shooting for his South film, Sharad is excited about making his debut in Tamil cinema with Ravikumar’s sci-fi starring Sivakarthikeyan. The actor, who’s known for his deep voice, is also looking forward to dub Hindi versions of international movies. “I enjoyed working on xXx: Return of Xander Cage. I hope the franchise reaches out to me again,” he signs off.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 18, 2017)

This year has been more eventful for Deepika Padukone than many would have envisioned. She completed a decade in Hindi films — her debut, Om Shanti Om, released in 2007 — and made inroads into Hollywood with a Vin Diesel franchise. Now, she is gearing up for a hat-trick with one of her favourite filmmakers, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, with the upcoming Padmavati, in which she has the titular role. The year in review with the actress:

Leela, Mastani and now Padmavati... How similar and how different are these three women?
The trio is similar in their spirit and courage, their vulnerability and belief. At the same time they are also very different. Leela had a childlike, playful innocence while Mastani was a warrior who literally took to the battlefield. Now, Padmavati is a warrior in her own right without weapons. Her power comes from her intelligence and her bravery, from the way she stood for what she believed in and the way she protected her people.

As an actress how difficult was it to bring these three women to life?
It was very easy actually, because as a woman I identified with all of these characters and so will every other woman. When talking about Leela and Mastani I would say this as well. Even though Mastani and Padmavati may have lived in different eras, their traits are easy to relate to even today. I have that resilience in me, of never giving up.

Yes, you've completed a decade in the Hindi film industry and it's not an easy place. Ten years is a long tenure for any actress to remain on top, did you ever imagine this would be your home for so long?
Yes, I did. I was welcomed with open arms from the day my first film, Om Shanti Om, came out, maybe even before that. The film's director, Farah Khan, had no idea what I could deliver since I had no film experience, yet to cast me in a film so important to her and her career at that point showed the kind of faith she had in me at a time when I had no faith in myself. And that attitude I see even today from my fraternity who always made me feel very comfortable.

Getting back to your upcoming film, each poster is a story in itself and one in particular, of a fiery maharani surrounded by women in red, encapsulates everything we believe Padmavati stood for as we know from what we've read of her growing up...
That's a powerful moment in the film and it haunts me even today. The energy with which the women come together, the fire within, is almost spiritual. It's one of the most memorable moments of my career to date.

The debates around the film and its portrayal of the queen are getting more ludicrous by the day with detractors now demanding your head or wanting to cut off your nose. How do you react to all this?
Well, at this point, as a woman, an artiste and a citizen of this country I feel angry, I feel let down and I also find it amusing.

It's telling that you didn't say that you were scared...
I will never feel scared. Fear is not an emotion I have ever identified with.

With all the controversies that keep cropping up with every other film do you feel that the creative freedom that the filmmakers and artistes have been enjoying in the world's biggest democracy is being curtailed by the pre-release tamasha?
Yes, people are allowed to express themselves without having even seen the film. And having worked in the film, I can assure you it's one film every Indian will be proud of. I'm glad we are showcasing Padmaviti's journey. Her story needs to be told not just to people in this country but across the world.

Growing up what was your impression of Mastani and Padmavati and has it changed since?
Your understanding of a woman, of these women, as a young girl from reading about them in a chapter in a textbook is very different from your understanding of them as a grown-up. The understanding today is much larger.

There have been allegations of you hogging the limelight from your co-actors and jumping into promotions alone and before them...
Well, to be very honest the film is titled Padmavati but my incentive is to tell the story of this woman's courage. We have had a Mother India in the past with a Nargis and a Sunil Dutt, Razia Sultan with Hemaji (Malini) and Dharmendra. I've always chosen films based on my instincts and I'm proud I've been given this opportunity to play a protagonist who people idolise, revere and some people even worship. But for me it's about the woman and everything she stood for, and as an artiste I feel grateful to have played her on screen.

It's been an interesting year for you as you moved from Serena Unger in XXX: Return Of Xander Cage to Padmavati.
They are both brave, strong, independent individuals, in different ways, different eras and different cultures. As a woman I identified with both and made them relatable in that situation. Serena was a different character from Piku, Mastani or Padmavati but their spirit is alike.

The director of XXX, DJ Caruso, has confirmed that you will be in the next instalment of the franchise?
It's too early to say anything at this point.

You just mentioned Piku and you are reuniting with Irrfan Khan again for Honey Trehan's directorial debut which has been scripted by Vishal Bhardwaj. You are moving from one strong woman to another?
Yes, I keep saying I need to do a film that is less draining, emotionally, and challenging but I keep getting drawn to these characters. Yes, this will be my next film, another powerful woman, and at a creative level I'm excited to be collaborating with Irrfan again as I loved every moment with him on the Piku set. He brings out the best in me as an actress.

There's another actor, Ranveer Singh, who also brings out the best in you, even as a person.
Yeah, I think I'm blessed to have some very special people, whether it's my family — my sister — or my friends and the people I work with. I have a solid support system and some really good people in my life.

And Ranveer is one of them?
Absolutely!

After acquiring a much leaner look for her turn as Queen Padmavati, Deepika Padukone is taking her workout regime up a notch for the film’s promotions
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 16, 2017)

After her Rani Padmavati unibrow in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming period drama broke the internet, Deepika Padukone’s unusually lean frame has been generating a lot of buzz. Mirror has learnt that for her titular role in the film, the 31-year-old actress really sweated it out at trainer Yasmin Karachiwala’s suburban studio months before she started shooting last year.

“At the time Deepika had adopted functional weight training and plyometrics as she had to look fit and athletic for her Hollywood debut, the Vin Diesel starrer, xXx: Return of Xander Cage. But for Padmavati, the brief was lean and royal. So we followed a unique pilates workout regime called 20-20-20. She worked out on three different machines for 20 minutes each, focusing on three different parts – upper body, legs and abs, and back. Pilates strengthens your core and helps you with the movement sequences,” informs Yasmin.

The celebrity trainer adds that the actress would practice the routing for an hour, for approximately five to six days a week, depending on her work commitments. “Shoots on Sanjay Leela Bhansali films are long and demanding, which is why we chose pilates as it helps you de-stress and work on your mind and body. It’s therapeutic but at the same time, also an intense form of workout as it’s slower and more controlled than gym routines,” informs Yasmin, who had first collaborated with Deepika for Homi Adajania’s 2012 romantic comedy-drama, Cocktail.

Reiterating that the exercises recommended by Yasmin forces one to use their core and body weight, Deepika says, “It’s about employing correct technique and posture, which works wonders for me. Within two weeks of working out with her, I could see a difference in my body—there was a lot more definition,” raves the actress who is celebrating a super successful decade-long run in the Hindi film industry which she entered with the Farah Khan-directed Om Shanti Om opposite Shah Rukh Khan.

The fitness schedule came with a diet plan of two egg whites or dosa, idli, and rawaupma for breakfast and chapatis, fresh vegetables and grilled fish for lunch. Deepika’s evening binge included filter coffee, nuts and dry fruits while dinner was vegetables, chapatis, fresh green salads and some dark chocolate for dessert.

“Deepika is conscious of what is good for her body and what isn’t and she doesn’t try to curb her cravings. She knows exactly how to balance things out. If she’s indulgent one day, the next day is all about moderation,” Yasmin asserts.

The prolific trainer returned from the US on Tuesday after learning a new form of pilates. It will now be used to get Deepika even fitter for the upcoming promotional rounds of Padmavati. “I had gone to learn the ‘Fletcher’ method, which is created by Ron Fletcher, a dancer and a student of Joseph Pilates (who invented Pilates). I learnt it from Fletcher’s student Kyria. I will start working with Deepika on this new form soon as she is now readying for promotions,” Yasmin signs off.

Deepika Padukone
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 2, 2017)

Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmavati is gearing up to hit screens in across 150 countries. Should the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed outing procure the essential permissions, it will be the first Indian film to attempt this wide a global release. Mounted on a budget of Rs 180 crore, the historic drama, also starring Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, is being promoted by Hollywood studio Paramount Pictures, which is backing the worldwide release.

Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom Motion Pictures, the Indian distributors of Padmavati, tells mid-day, "Paramount and Viacom have a long-standing relationship. This story is universal. Historical films have the power to mesmerise people, whether or not the audience is familiar with the culture. This is also the reason behind the mammoth success of Game Of Thrones [American series]. Also, Deepika Padukone's global appeal, given that she starred in XXX: Return Of Xander Cage, is another bonus." Andhare adds that while the Hollywood studio was happy with what they saw of the film in the trailer, the makers have more to offer with the entire outing. "We kept them informed about the developments while filming."

The film will release in places that have a sizeable Indian population, including the US, UK, Fiji, Singapore, Malaysia and Middle East. "Once the film garners attention through positive word-of-mouth and social media, we might also consider taking it to China. It's a large market, and Paramount' influence could be crucial."

The makers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure a successful run at the domestic box-office too, eyeing a release in 4,500 screens. With this feat, Padmavati will become the biggest release in India as well, given that both Dangal and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, touted to be the biggest Indian films, hit fewer screens.

DNA (November 2, 2017)

Deepika Padukone’s first major action-thriller xXx: Return Of Xander Cage didn’t exactly set Indian theatres on fire but the Hollywood film is definitely one of the highest global grossers. The film in which the Bollywood diva played Serena Unger with Vin Diesel as Xander got a record-breaking opening in China earlier on because the makers carpet-bombed that country.

Trade tattle has it that Deepika will be a part of the next part of this franchise too. An insider says, “Deepika will, in all probability, be a part of the sequel because her contract reportedly has a clause that says if the box-office business of the film crosses the $170 million mark (which it did and did far more), she will definitely reprise the role of Serena. It also apparently specifies that her role will become meatier and longer in the next outing.” Guess whenever the next instalment of this franchise is announced, Deepika will be back to making headlines on the international stage.

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 14, 2017)

Upala KBR (DNA; January 24, 2017)

Deepika Padukone’s Hollywood debut xXx: Return of Xander Cage has come in for extreme criticism in India, upon its release two weeks ago and in the US last week. To be fair, it’s not a critic-friendly film. However, Deepika’s performance in the film was appreciated by several people. For an Indian actress to be noticed and appreciated in a film that has many big names, is a big deal. Here’s what the foreign press said about her.

‘Brings emphatic honour to thievery’
Slant magazine’s Jack Cole felt that DP stood out among the cast, stating, “Some of those in Xander’s diverse crew are barely allowed to make an impression, but Deepika Padukone brings emphatic honour to the thieving Serena Unger.”

‘Equals male stars’
The Chicago Tribune’s Katie Walsh celebrated the fact that the adrenaline-fuelled action flick gave enough space for the female characters to shine. She says, “The film’s negotiations of gender and sexuality are complicated at best. Rose, Padukone and Collette play empowered, fierce women, equals to their male counterparts. xXx even passes the Bechdel test.”

‘Outclasses Vin, steals film’
The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck went one step further by saying that Vin Diesel, who plays the title role, was “certainly outclassed here by such co-stars as Padukone, who practically steals the film.” He went on to mock Diesel, by adding, “The way his franchise-heavy career is going, he seems to be auditioning for a future gig as a Celebrity Apprentice host.”

PRAISE FROM OTHER QUARTERS

BBC World Wide: A power-packed start to Deepika Padukone’s Hollywood career.

Sky Cinema: Deepika Padukone holds her own in the all-action line-up in xXx: Return Of Xander Cage.

Omenly: Deepika Padukone is the light of this movie. Her acting is effortless.

Aint It Cool News: Deepika is terrific. Vin and her share charisma points galore.

Deepika speaks about her comment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Upala KBR (DNA; January 23, 2017)

It’s almost midnight In Los Angeles but Deepika Padukone is happy, chirpy. Still on a high post the release of her first Hollywood film XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage. It’s all still sinking in, says the actress as opens up about the reactions she’s been getting for her film in India and abroad. From the Indian premiere, the reviews and her “having Vin’s babies in my head” comment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show she takes all the questions on her chin, like the sport she is. Read on....

What has the reaction to been to your debut internationally?
It’s been amazing! I have been extremely overwhelmed. People have given me so much warmth and love. I can really feel and appreciate the love, warmth and warm welcome given by everybody to my first Hollywood film. I didn’t know what to expect because it was such a new territory for me in terms of being a new environment and outside my comfort zone. And then to be embraced and welcomed in this way is extremely overwhelming and very exciting!

Are you happy with the response for the film in India? It had a Rs 20 crore weekend, which isn’t a very big number.
In India, it released only in 3D. I got an email from my producer talking about how the numbers are encouraging! When you know it’s a limited release and you get these numbers, it’s wonderful. This weekend it will release in all other formats in India this weekend. Globally the film has released in all formats all at one go but it’s only in India because of piracy that we had the 3D release first and then the other formats this weekend. It has been extremely exciting to see the response to the film and my character in the film. The biggest compliment I have got is from women. That finally women are being included in an action film and you got to see such a strong powerful character in a film, where usually the characters are male-dominated.

The box office collections in USA haven’t been too great. Are you disappointed?
I haven’t gotten into the numbers as we are still recovering from the massive premiere. It has been such a crazy schedule that I think first we will recover from that and tomorrow sit down and get into the box-office figures. Honestly, the love, warmth and appreciation I have got for my role, that’s my real takeaway — it has overshadowed everything else. I loved the way they did the premiere at the Chinese theatre. Few Hollywood films get to see that kind of premiere where they block the streets, roll out the red carpets and so many people gathered at that venue. It reminded me of the classic old-school premieres they used to have in India.

You do know your “having Vin’s baby in my head” comment on Ellen’s show has caused tremors in India. Comment.
I don’t take such talk seriously. I would rather talk about the experience of meeting an amazing and powerful woman like Ellen. For me, that was the exciting part! Meeting Ellen was a very enlightening moment for me rather than anything else.

Everyone expected you to outright deny the link-up like most actresses do. Instead you decided to joke about it. In retrospect, do you regret being flippant?
No regrets. I don’t have anything more to say about that. Fact is, I received tons of messages from people all over saying how much they have enjoyed the show. The morning after, I was flooded with compliments saying what a fun and candid show it was as people felt I was being myself and I sounded like myself.

Why are you promoting Lungi Dance, which is two years old and not Pinga, which is a more traditional form of dance?
If you are talking about The Late Late Show with James Corden, with me and Vin Diesel, it was very spontaneous and James asked me to perform it. I was surprised to know that Vin and James knew about the Lungi Dance! All these shows are very spontaneous and you just have to be honest and the best version of yourself. James asked me on the spot to do the lungi dance and I would have been equally happy if he had asked me to do Deewani Mastani from Bajirao Mastani. The funny part was how Vin thought that the Lungi Dance is actually a form of dance in India. It was hilarious and he what he said was so adorable. In his interviews in India, he told someone that he thought that the Lungi Dance was some kind of breakdance — a form of dance I had done, and something fun I had come up with in one of my earlier films. It was exciting to be on James show and through all these various mediums there is so much exchange of culture.

Your TV appearances are being compared to Priyanka Chopra’s TV appearances. Your thoughts on that?
It’s not fair to make comparisons. Let me just say everyone has a different path and journey.

How have your parents and sister reacted to the whole journey?
They are so proud and thrilled about it and have been so supportive and amazing, which they always have been. I can feel how proud and happy they are with the way I have conducted myself. For me, that’s the most important thing. They have messaged me saying they are appreciate the way I have conducted myself and that makes me very happy!

Your fashion choices from the red carpet to TV shows are attracting wild attention. How involved are you with your choices?
(Laughs) Of course, I always voice what I am comfortable in, feeling like and leaning towards on that day — it is so much about what you are feeling like on that day and what you want to channel and be comfortable in. But I have amazing team too who is doing a fantastic job with my hair and make-up and styling, which is done by a very senior lady, who is also Gwyneth Paltrow’s stylist, Elizabeth Saltzman. They are an amazing team of stylists — hair, makeup, fashion and style and what you wear on the red carpet is always a collaborative effort. They suggest and then you have to go with your instincts too on that day. I am happy that everyone is enjoy and appreciating what I am wearing. I have been feeling amazing and that’s the best thing!

You said recently you loved La La Land and would love to work with Ryan Gosling… Would you love to do a film like that in India?
I think we already at some level are doing musical love stories here. Indian films are musicals too especially with filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Music and dance is such an important part of our culture and it might be slightly different for the market here in Hollywood. I feel La La Land stands out because of the performances and it’s such a classic love story, told in such a beautiful manner. Ryan Gosling is so organic as an actor and he is so delicious — his performance is so special that he has that magical effect on you on screen.

It’s not uncommon to find ads of theatres in newspapers. These ads boast about the latest films playing in their cinemas. While most such ads don’t mention much except the poster, name of the theatre, show timings, ticket rates, facilities (AC or air cooled), contact details etc, some theatres try to be creative and add interesting captions. Most of them are simple like for instance ‘Shah Rukh Khan’s latest super-hit film…now showing’. But Guru Talkies in the town of Ichalkaranji, Maharashtra went all out.

Guru Talkies is showing the latest Hollywood release XXX: Return of Xander Cage starring Vin Diesel and Deepika Padukone. In the ad published in Mahasatta newspaper, the theatre publicizes that the film is running in their talkies with 4 shows a day in 3D and Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound with 2K projector. There’s a poster of the film, names of the stars and a very unusual caption that in English means ‘Baldie’s action will leave you stunned…once again’. Note that Vin Diesel is referred to as the ‘takla’, a slang used for someone who is bald in Marathi and Hindi!

It is quite amusing as well as shocking to know that the actor is referred to in a very derogatory way. Agreed that this is what many in India call Vin Diesel. The following tweet sums it all:

No matter how much #VinDiesel has achieved, For Indians he will always be "Fast and Furious vala takla"

— Paridecay (@sarcastictroler) January 12, 2017

Yet, this doesn’t mean that the management of the single screen theatre can call Vin Diesel a ‘takla’ in a newspaper ad – there has to be some basic common sense and respect after all. And what’s unfortunate is that this is not a case of small town mentality. Even in a city like Mumbai, Vin was insulted when he left from the Mumbai airport. Check out the video below that shows Vin Diesel being called ‘Aye Takle’ by a photographer or a cameraman.



Vin Diesel is one of the most successful actors of the world. He came to India with a lot of happiness and he was floored by the hospitality and reception. He spoke about it generously and will in future too. But a section of the country on the other hand insults him just because he has no hair on his head? Clearly, India needs to lot of learn a lot of basic manners!

WILL RAEES-KAABIL HELP JANUARY END ON A GREAT NOTE?

The month of January 2017 hasn’t been a great one so far. A lot of expectations were riding on OK Jaanu and the grand Hollywood film XXX: Return Of Xander Cage. Sadly, both films turned out to be hugely disappointing at the ticket window.

Ok Jaanu always had a challenge since it was too urban. But still, it could have made a mark. However, from Day 1 itself, the collections were poor and it hardly increased in the days to come. Moreover, there was a crucial cricket match on Sunday that dented collections. Still there was hope that on Monday it will hold very well but that didn’t happen. XXX: Return Of Xander Cage on the other hand didn’t have a full release on Friday – shows commenced only after 6 pm. Usually this happens on Thursday but this is the first time a film had paid previews on Friday. By doing so, the makers lost on a crucial day. Friday collections were just Rs 2 crore when it could have been more if shows had started from morning. Again, just like OK Jaanu, it got affected on Sunday due to the match and not just that, even the big South releases affected the film. Also, we can’t ignore the fact that the word of mouth of both films was not that great. Yet, both films could have done marginally better if the match and South releases were not there, and also the Friday evening release in the case of XXX: Return Of Xander Cage.

Tomorrow sees the release of just Coffee With D. It will have a difficult time for sure due to lack of buzz and also because Raees-Kaabil are releasing on Wednesday January 25. The buzz for both films is quite high. A section of industry feels that the clash will affect but if both films are good, nothing can stop them from doing Rs 400 crore business collectively. More on both the films and their strengths and challenges next week!

Vin Diesel has the answer to what everyone wants to know
Tushar Joshi (DNA; January 16, 2017)

Vin Diesel was in India for the premiere of his revived franchise xXx: Return of Xander Cage starrring Deepika Padukone. The actor had his first brush with Indian hospitality as he was welcomed at the airport in traditional style. He even got a taste of what it feels like to attend an Indian premiere on Thursday night when he hosted some B-Town actors who came over to watch his film.

During an interaction with After Hrs, Vin spoke about his first teaser photo with Deepika that had the back of his head in it. The photo broke the internet and had everyone talking about his chemistry with DP...

When asked if he remembered the day that picture was taken he said, “I do remember that moment. I can remember that moment like it was yesterday. It was very exciting for us because we knew we had found our Serena, so it was a very important moment. We didn’t want to wait anymore. She had just flown from Toronto into Los Angeles with her mother. Deepika and I had met several years before and...we knew right then. You know it was all intended to be, because normally there is a formality. I have to go back and talk to the studio and production, make sure everything is perfect, she had to check her dates, everything had to be scurried through, of course. We didn’t wait at all. In that moment, I remember her going — 'Are you sure we should do this?'”

Deepika added that she was in shock with the sudden turn of events, “Because no one had said anything. I had just met DJ (Caruso) the morning before and then I get a call saying Vin heard you are in Toronto and you met the director and he wants to see you. Luckily, I had a visa for the US, I flew in to see him and we had this amazing four-hour chat. We were just talking about the movie which was great, but I still didn’t know why I was there or what I was doing. We were just catching up and he was telling me what he is doing next, I didn’t know. I saw some signs when I walked in and the triple-X — the first one where he was in it was playing in the background? I was like, ‘What is going on?’ Something inside me said ‘I think I’ve got this, but he didn’t say anything, no one said anything. And then we start doing this random photo shoot in the middle of the night and I was all like ‘What the hell is going on!’ The casting director is like I am tweeting it, I am putting it out, I was like ‘Okay’.”

During the press interaction there was chatter that the director of the film, DJ Caruso was playing with the idea of setting the next film in India. When asked how long would it be before we see Vin back in India, the actor said, “Well, I am here now, which, hopefully, won’t take me as long as it took me the first time. I’d love to come back and I overheard DJ saying that he can imagine the setting being in India in this franchise.”

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 16, 2017)

The greatest welcome ever — that’s how Hollywood director D J Caruso defined his India reception as soon as he landed here for the premiere of XXX: Return of Xander Cage last week with actors Vin Diesel and Deepika Padukone.

Much like Vin, the filmmaker was all praise for his actress, saying that he was familiar with Dippy’s work in Bollywood. When we asked him to name his favourite Deepika film, Caruso struggled for a while before coming up with ‘Pinku’. Seconds later, he shook his head and said, “No, it was Piku. It was amazing, and had so many emotions. The gentleman, who played her father (referring to Amitabh Bachchan), was simply outstanding. I have seen his previous works too, but wasn’t aware that he is still in the business. I’d love to make a movie with him.”

Caruso sounded equally gung-ho about casting Deepika’s rumoured boyfriend, Ranveer Singh, who was spotted on the XXX set last year. “He is always full of energy. He hung out on the sets for a few days and that definitely made things better for Deepika since, I guess, she was missing home. He befriended so many people [who were part of the unit]. It would be fantastic to cast them [Deepika and Ranveer] together in a Hollywood film,” he added.

Buzz is a sequel to the new XXX film will kick off this May with Vin and Deepika. Ask him if there is room for Ranveer and Caruso says, “Who knows, if something interesting comes up, I would definitely look at approaching him.”

Bollywood's latest American export Deepika Padukone and her xXx: Return of Xander Cage co-star Vin Diesel get chatty with hit-list
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 15, 2017)

"Vin, I love you Vinnnnnn," the scream came, not from a crazed teen but from a toddler hardly two feet tall. We were at the lobby of a Central Mumbai five-star hotel on Friday afternoon as we had been assured an interview with Vin Diesel and his co-star Deepika Padukone, who are promoting their film xXx: Return of Xander Cage.

Be it journalists or the paparazzi, and even Deepika's family, we realised we were part of a long chain of people waiting to meet them by prior appointment. So one by one we were passed on from person to another, our credentials checked, and after waiting for almost four hours, the big moment arrived. We were told we had exactly five minutes to wrap up the interview. "Hi," said Vin, dressed as a quintessential Bollywood star in a black shirt, green cargos and boots.

The Hollywood actor's two-day India trip had been packed with fan meets, a glitzy red carpet gala, a star-studded premiere and media interactions, and Vin said that he thoroughly enjoyed every moment, "Meeting so many Bollywood stars was really amazing. I have known many of them and seen some of their work too. So it was a wonderful experience. I imagine watching them break out of Bollywood and doing some other work." Ask him if anyone caught his attention and he looks at Deepika, who is blushing. "To be 100 per cent honest, it's hard for anyone to do that when you have this woman next to you," he said with a big grin and added, "She has been a wonderful host and like I always say, she is someone with a beautiful soul."

Commenting on Bollywood films, Vin believes one thing that films in America lack is showing off their culture, "The song and dance format is something that is missing from Hollywood. A lot of people would agree that films here are less reserved in terms of reflecting their culture. I am not big on tradition and like to break the mould and push things further." Ask the actress if she had shown Vin any of her films and she said, "The first film I showed him was Bajirao Masatani." Vin quickly added, "She looked absolutely stunning in it." He almost broke into a jig sitting in his chair, as he said, "I love the song Mastani."

It is then that the manager loudly announced, "Last question!!!" We asked him if he can remember the first day of the xXx shoot and he recalls, "My reaction was — 'finally!' There were so many crew members but I could feel a direct connection with Deepika, which I knew would inevitably transcend on screen, too. It was a powerful moment." Vin concludes, "It was a perfect first shot. We had built up the anticipation of working with each other. So when we were shooting the sequence, even before my character looked at her, I could hear her voice. I would definitely love to do a Bollywood film with her."

XXX: Return Of Xander Cage is no Fast & Furious but has enough entertaining and thrilling moments that make for a nice watch on the BIG screen. And yes, Deepika Padukone has an important and a substantial role in the film (her name appears third in the opening credits in a film that has close to 11-12 characters). She looks super awesome gunning down the baddies, especially towards the climax (her sequence with Ruby Rose is quite awesome). It’s amazing to know that crores and crores of people around the world will now google who is Deepika Padukone and learn more about her! Many mainstream actors of Bollywood have done Hollywood films and they were hardly there in those flicks. But Deepika in XXX: Return Of Xander Cage is an exception – it’s the lengthiest role by a Bollywood mainstream actor/actress in a Hollywood film! As for the film, it has some loose ends and predictable and filmy at a lot of places. Also, it’s becoming like Furious series but that series is way ahead in a lot of respects. But XXX: Return Of Xander Cage manages to entertain, especially thanks to a great second half and action-packed climax. Vin Diesel as always is cool while Ruby Rose is kickass. Donnie Yen, Toni Collette and Nina Dobrev also leave a mark. All in all, a fine action extravaganza!

P.S.: All those who grouse that Bollywood copies stuff from foreign films will be surprised to know that a bike scene in this film is somewhat similar to a sequence in Dhoom 3!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!

Hollywood star Vin Diesel, who is in Mumbai for promotions and premiere of his film 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage', says he 'always' knew his chemistry with Deepika Padukone was special
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 13, 2017)

"I have never seen a reception on entering a country like the one I did this morning," Vin Diesel declared ahead of the premiere of his film, 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage', in Lower Parel last evening. The 'Fast and Furious' star, who joined 'xXx' co-actor Deepika Padukone for the India promotions, was referring to the traditional dhol-tasha welcome that he received at the city airport yesterday.

"The music, the culture and the fact that people are so happy to celebrate is just incredible. Being in Mumbai is like a dream come true," the Hollywood actor said, adding, "In fact, when I reached the hotel room and started looking at my photographs [from the morning], I felt I was smiling too much. [That meant] I was genuinely happy and touched."



Known for pulling off high-octane stunts in his films, Vin confessed India had been on his must-visit list for long. Pointing to Deepika, he said, "This angel sitting next to me made it possible. It's such a blessing to have her in my life." He ended the statement with a peck on her cheek.

"When we rolled out the film, she came to me with a request. She said, 'I would love to do a grand premiere in my home country'. We promised to make it here. So, the fact that we are here means that we delivered on our promise. I would really like to thank the entire country. I had yearned to work with Deepika for a long time. I first met her many years ago and always knew that our chemistry was something special."



Asked if he would like to collaborate with Deepika again, Vin paused and hinted at another instalment in the 'xXx' franchise. "If in May we are filming for XXX again, it would be evident how much I like working with her. She is very special to me and you can see that from my social media posts in the past year. You get to claim her because this is her origin [country], but she is the queen of the world," he added.

Deepika said "working together was written in our destiny". "We were supposed to collaborate earlier, but for various reasons, it didn't work out. I know for a fact that he will have my back, professionally as well as personally," she said.

Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Karan Johar and Vin Diesel’s Fast and Furious co-star Ali Fazal were there too
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 14, 2017)

After interacting with over a thousand fans at a SoBo mall on Thursday, xXx: Return of Xander Cage stars, Vin Diesel and Deepika Padukone, returned to their suites in an adjacent hotel to pretty up for the 9pm premiere.

Madam D slipped out of her golden gown, reminiscent of Priyanka Chopra’s Golden Globe ensemble, for a sequinned red dress. Vin shed his black leather jacket for a white fur coat. “I like the fur,” hooted the boisterous Ranveer Singh and Dippy shot back, “He wore it for you.”

The couple entered together, Deepy clutching Ranveer’s hand and trying to make way for her beau and father, Prakash Padukone.

While she chatted with the guests, Ranveer, who was dressed in a gorgeous Rohit Bal jacket, patiently waited, admitting it was a proud moment for him because xXx is a big Hollywood film and “Deepika is a special co-actor of mine, a gifted actor and an amazing movie star whom I admire”.

Vin, who has watched Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani, joked that he wanted to see Mastani in Hannibal: The Conqueror, next.

Deepika’s Piku co-star, Irrfan Khan, arrived soon after siblings Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem entered and Deepika rushed to give him a hug. He insisted he was there only to see Deepika and after watching the film, tweeted, “What a charming, sharp, action-packed entry into Hollywood, Deepika. Only fly from here!” Padmavati trio Deepika, Ranveer and Shahid Kapoor’s bromance silenced all the sceptics at once.

Karan Johar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Madhur Bhandarkar, Kriti Sanon, Sudhanshu Vats, Ajit Andhare, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Jackky Bhagnani, Richa Chadha were there too, along with Ali Fazal, who was happy to reunite with his Furious 7 co-star.

Hollywood actor Vin Diesel came to Mumbai with Deepika Padukone and all talk revolved around love, dreams and another sequel, titled Serena’s Revenge
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 13, 2017)


Vin Diesel fits the image of a quintessential Bollywood hero perfectly. He’s over-the-top, extremely charming, enjoys quoting Indian gurus out-of-context and his conversations are interspersed with dramatic pauses. When his gorgeous co-star Deepika Padukone refers to him as “an adorable teddy bear” and his xXx: Return of Xander Cage director D J Caruso admits “he walks around with a wide smile all the time”, Vin dramatically rises from his chair, flaunts his Peshwa-styled suit-kurta which he spent all afternoon hand-picking, and asks, “Do I look regal in that beautiful, Indian-way? Do I look majestic? Do you really see the teddy bear Deepika talks about? Or do you see the grizzly bear!”

There’s more, when he has run out of words for Deepika who he has eulogised a “goddess”, “angel” and “the most beautiful woman in the world”, he says, theatrically, “She’s a thespian majesty!” DJ is the first to burst into splits, pointing out that he’s going to gift Deepika a T-shirt with those exact words embossed on it, soon.

The trio is in India for the premiere of their high-voltage action thriller, which marks Deepika’s Hollywood debut as Serena, the feisty love interest of Xander Cage. The film opens in India first, a week before its international release on January 20. They landed in Mumbai at 6am on Thursday for a two-day promotional round and were welcomed by 30 turbaned women on bullets, draped in fiery red Nauvari saris and combat boots.

“Being in the city is a dream come true and I had wanted to work with Deepika since we met many years ago and saw that the chemistry between us was something special,” Vin admitted, turning to smile at the desi girl whose hand he held for most of the day.

He went on to reveal that when they started filming xXx, Deepika had just one request—she wanted a huge Hollywood-style premiere in her home country. “The fact that we’re here means we delivered on the promise. And the love you see between the two characters played by Deepika and me is evidence of the multi-cultural global harmony that you see in our film,” asserts the action hero.

The conversation kept veering back to Madam D who was all dimples. She’d first met Vin in 2011 when they shot for a film’s audition video but the project never took off.

Cut to October 2015 when after noticing the sizzling chemistry between the two actors from the four-year-old audition tape, DJ asked Deepika to fly to Toronto overnight for lunch with him while he was on recce. The meeting was two hours long but nothing was finalised. “I was to fly out of Toronto the same night when Vin learnt that I was in Canada and asked me to immediately fly out to Los Angeles. I got on a plane and reached LA at night. That’s when he tweeted that first picture of the two of us together and everyone was asking me if I was doing xXx. I did not know if I was but since Vin had put out this picture, I thought maybe I was,” Deepika flashbacked.

Vin was quick to add that given how demanding the role was, everyone wondered if Deepika would be able to pull off all the action. “But she made us feel like she would go to any lengths to personify this daredevil of a character. We needed a counterpart to Xander and it wasn’t just her beauty and grace that we could rely on but also the commitment to the action. You can’t mess up, because bad things happen during dangerous stunts. She came in every day for four months and practiced her stunts,” he reveals.

Buzz is, there is a sequel in the pipeline which will kick off this May with Vin and Deepika. DJ jokes, “How many days of shooting are we talking about, Vin?” He shoots back, “How soon is the question. I think that what DJ is saying is that we are filming the next xXx in May, it is evident how much I like working with Deepika” and DJ adds, “It will be titled Serena’s Revenge.”

Deepika has retained her Indian accent in the film and the trio reiterates that it was a conscious decision. “What we are trying to do is deliberately not stay within the confines of Hollywood, we want to go into different film markets and invite them into a film’s franchise. Everybody’s accent was celebrated. We wanted the diversity and that’s what makes this movie special,” insists Vin who will be interacting with fans live, exploring the city and attending a bash with the who’s who of Bollywood over the next 24 hours, before flying off with Deepika for the film’s LA premiere.

He gets emotional as he recalls his close connection with India, admitting that he’s been dreaming of visiting the country since he was a child. “The first movie that my father took me to see was the Thief of Bagdad, starring Sabu (Dastagir), and from that moment as a five-year-old, I’ve always imagined that movie stars could look different than the ones we saw in Hollywood. So I have a long-standing connection with India with reference to my stardom and success. I was just waiting for the opportunity to come to India,” he states, going back to rhapsodising about “this queen”, “this blessing in my life”, his “very special Deepika”.

“India gets to claim her because this is her origin, but she is the queen of the world, so the whole world will get to claim her now – someone with such a beautiful soul…” Vin trails off, before adding, “…If you just let me kiss her…” And saying that he plants a kiss on Deepika who is all smiles. The crowd hoots and cheers on, “Once more, once more…” Fadeout…

Did we just see a movie or was it for real?

AFTER 2 DRY FRIDAYS, DELUGE OF RELEASES THIS WEEK!

Since a biggie Dangal released on December 23, no filmmaker obviously released his/her in the subsequent two weeks. Coffee With D was to release last week but got postponed at the eleventh hour. But Dangal will enter its 4th week now and it’s safe to release films which have lots at stake. And this Friday will see as many as 3 releases, all of diverse genres! My analysis on these films:

OK JAANU: This is a remake of Ok Kanmani, Mani Ratnam’s 2015 romantic film that was loved for its storytelling, music and performances. The remake stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor and is directed by Mani’s loyal assistant Shaad Ali who incidentally also directed the south director’s Alaipayuthey into Saathiya. Karan Johar is the co-producer along with Mani Ratnam. The trailer of the film got a mixed response and same goes for the title song. But The Humma Song has become a rage, despite the criticism over the rap portion. The song has been shot very well and has made an impact. Aditya-Shraddha jodi is damn good and their chemistry seems crackling. At the box office, the film can have an average opening and then can increase if the response is positive. The premise definitely has promise and here’s hoping Shaad has executed it well!

XXX: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE: This is a Hollywood film but what makes it special is that it features Deepika Padukone in a leading role. Vin Diesel is the leading actor and few are apprehensive if Deepika will have a major role in the film. However, her name appears third in the credit and hence one can expect her performance to be quite prominent. The buzz for the film sadly is not skyhigh but Deepika’s presence will surely give this film an edge, also in the Hindi version. XXX: Return Of Xander Cage can in fact open better than Ok Jaanu. Strangely, the film is releasing with limited shows on Friday January 13 and will have a proper release from Saturday January 14. Never has a film been released on a Saturday in many, many years. An interesting thing is that the film is releasing first in India and it will open in USA and other markets on January 20!

HARAAMKHOR: This is a small-budget film from Sikhya Entertainment directed by Shlok Sharma. It stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shweta Tripathi and tells the story of an illicit affair between a tuition teacher and an underage student. The film has been ready since sometime but it faced issues at the Censor Board. Ideally, this is not the right time for the film to release as it would get very less shows due to the humongous release of Ok Jaanu and XXX: Return Of Xander Cage. But then, Haraamkhor is anyways a niche film and it can make a mark even with a small release. Futher, there’s no film release next week and hence it has all the time till January 24 to earn as much as possible!

WHICH FILM WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OUT OF THESE AND WHY? DO LET US KNOW!

Will host a party in Mumbai for Vin Diesel after her Hollywood debut’s UK premiere
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 8, 2017)

Fresh from a week-long getaway with boyfriend, Ranveer Singh, Deepika and her Bajirao Mastani co-star, Priyanka Chopra, were on back-to-back flights out of India on January 2. While PeeCee landed in New York to kick off the second schedule of her TV series, Quantico, Deepika headed to Los Angeles for the promotion of her upcoming Hollywood debut, the Vin Diesel-starrer, xXx: Return of Xander Cage.

A day before her birthday on January 5, she headed to Mexico City with the other two leading ladies, Nina Dobrev and Ruby Rose, and director D J Caruso. After all-day media interactions and right before the premiere of the film, the xXx family came together with a large cake and balloons to ring in Deepika’s 31st birthday. Even though it was still January 4 there, they knew wishes had already started pouring in from back home, from friends and even “Padmapati” Shahid Kapoor.

Caruso compared the birthday girl to two Hollywood yesteryear greats, saying, “You embody Lana Turner with the grace of Audrey Hepburn and you can kick some a** too!” Deepika described her screen avatar, Serena Unger, as “independent, smart, always observing and learning” and added that what draws Xander to her is that “she is like him”.

A big birthday dinner has been planned for Friday evening. On January 9, the cast and crew will take off to London for the UK premiere, and are also expected to briefly travel through Europe. They fly out to Mumbai on January 12 for a glitzy Indian premiere of the film. Deepika will be hosting a starry all-nighter on January 13 for her international friends as well, and plans to show Vin around Mumbai personally.
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MID-DAY (January 7, 2016)

American filmmaker D J Caruso, who has helmed Deepika Padukone’s Hollywood debut XXX: Return of Xander Cage took to social networking platform Twitter on Tuesday to reveal that the team was set to host a birthday dinner for the actress on Wednesday. “We have a birthday dinner set up for tomorrow,” Caruso wrote on the platform, while responding to a fan’s query on the team’s plan.

Deepika, who turned 31 yesterday, also received wishes form her Bajirao Mastani co-star Priyanka Chopra. “Happy birthday @deepikapadukone may this year bring you lots of love and happiness.. I wish you the best for # XXX Can’t wait to watch it (sic),” PeeCee wrote.

Dippy is currently on a promotional tour in Mexico with the cast and crew of XXX.