Ananya Panday is all praise for Deepika Paukone!
Deepika Padukone continues to stand tall as one of the most influential, powerful and loved actress in Indian cinema today. With a career that blends box office dominance, critical acclaim, and cultural impact, she has consistently set benchmarks for what it means to be a female superstar.
Her journey has not only been about success on screen but also about setting clear boundaries, making right choices, and paving the way for younger actors.
A recent poll ranking the top heroines of Indian cinema further reaffirmed her dominance, placing her at the No. 1 spot as Heroine of Indian Cinema— a reflection of her sustained popularity and the strong connection she shares with audiences across generations.
Among those who have openly expressed admiration for Deepika is Ananya Panday, who has often spoken about the superstar’s influence on her own outlook towards ambition and professionalism.
In the film industry, ambition was long seen as a taboo for women. When asked to rate her ambition on a scale of 1 to 10, the actor shares, “I’m very ambitious, but not ambitious at the cost of wanting to pull someone else down. I know exactly what I want to do. I admire how Deepika Padukone has done it. The choices she’s made, the boundaries she’s set for herself – has paved the way for so many girls coming after her. I like that we can have such an impact on other women in the industry and also women who are watching us. My favourite part about our job is the influence we have, the impact cinema can make on people.”
She has also previously spoken about working with Deepika and observing her closely on set. Recalling her experience, Ananya shared:
“Deepika, as you said I idolised her growing up, she the most beautiful woman ever and she’s such a brave actor. She is the first like female superstar that I worked with, and I saw her on Gehraiyaan, she was so clear about how the set is run, things she needs an actor on a set to give the best that she can in that moment. I was like okay. This is to conduct myself. You know as a girl you can ask step up and you can ask and you’ll get what you want. So yeah, that’s what I learnt from Deepika.”
Such consistent praise from contemporaries highlights Deepika Padukone’s larger-than-life presence — not just as a performer, but as a role model who has reshaped perceptions around ambition and authority for women in the film industry.
With major projects like King, slated to release this year, and Atlee’s next directorial venture in the pipeline, Deepika Padukone’s reign at the top appears stronger than ever.