On Tuesday, IMDb released its special report, 25 Years of Indian Cinema (2000–2025), mapping the most popular Indian films and actors of the past quarter century. The list, which analysed the top five most popular Indian movies released each year between January 1, 2000, and August 31, 2025, has placed Deepika Padukone in the fourth spot amongst actors with the most popular titles. Out of 130 films studied, 10 feature Deepika, placing her ahead of stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ajay Devgn, Prabhas, and Alia Bhatt. Shah Rukh Khan leads with 20 titles, followed by Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan with 11 each.
“Never afraid to ruffle feathers”: Deepika Padukone talks about “walking a difficult path” as IMDb lists her in top spot amid Spirit, Kalki 2898 AD exit
A report by Hindustan Times quoted the actor reacting to the recognition. She reflected on her journey in Bollywood and appeared to indirectly address the recent controversies surrounding her exit from Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD’s sequel. She said, “When I began my journey, I was often told how a woman must or is expected to navigate her career in order to be successful. However, from the very beginning, I was never afraid to ask questions, ruffle feathers, walk a more difficult path and challenge the status quo in order to reshape the mould we have all been expected to fit into.”
The actor, who welcomed her first child with Ranveer Singh in 2024, added, “The faith my family, fans and collaborators have had in me, have also empowered me to make the choices and decisions that I have, hopefully forever altering the path those after me will tread. IMDb’s Report on 25 Years of Indian Cinema further validates and strengthens my belief that honesty, authenticity and resilience matter, and that by being true to your core beliefs with consistency, change is possible.”
Her statement comes in the wake of months of speculation around her exit from big-ticket projects. Earlier this month, Vyjayanthi Movies officially announced that Deepika would not be a part of Kalki 2, citing the inability to find a “partnership” despite the long journey of making Kalki 2898 AD. Earlier this year, she was also reported to have walked out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, with reports alleging her demands for an 8-hour workday, a profit share, and not delivering dialogues in Telugu, conditions that reportedly did not sit well with the filmmaker.
On the work front, she recently announced her next project alongside Shah Rukh Khan in King, which will also feature his daughter Suhana Khan.
Also Read: Farah Khan pokes fun at Deepika Padukone; says, “She only works 8 hours now”
More Pages: Spirit Box Office Collection
, Spirit Movie Review
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