Deepika Padukone Birthday Special: Not Om Shanti Om but THIS was DP’s first film

Global actor Deepika Padukone turned 38 today and wishes have been pouring in for the Indian actor from all corners of the world. In her 17 years of acting career, Deepika has added many feathers to her cap. She not only became the first Indian actor to become the house brand ambassador of international brands like Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Levis, Qatar Airways, etc. but has also won several Filmfare Best Actor awards for her appealing performances. 

Ever since, Padukone walked out of the yellow taxi in the movie Om Shanti Om, donning a pink lehenga set with Ankho Me Teri song playing in the background, she took over hearts and won the tag of a queen. However, not everyone knows that Shah Rukh Khan starrer was not DP’s debut movie. But she acted in a Kannada film before working in Om Shanti Om as its director Farah Khan wanted Deepika to be aware of the entire process of working in a film, as Padukone was an outsider and had no film-set experience.

Deepika Padukone’s debut film  

Deepika Padukone worked in a 2006 Kannada-language romantic film directed by Indrajith Lanka, titled Aishwarya. One of the highest-paid directors and actors in the Kannada film industry Upendra Rao was the male lead in the film. And Daisy Bopanna also played an important role in Deepika Padukone’s debut film. 

For the unversed, Aishwarya is an official remake of the 2022 film Manamdhadu and its flashback sequences are inspired by the 2005 movie Ghajini. In the film, Upendra appears as a wealthy advertising executive and Deepika joins a working company as an assistant manager. After a whole lot of office drama and romance, they end up together in the climax of the film. 

You can watch the film here:

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Aishwarya’s box office collection

Kannada film Aishwarya broke several opening box office records by garnering 1.5 crore gross and 20 million gross in its first week. The movie ran for 50 days across Karnataka and 75 days in Bangalore and was commercially successful. Aishwarya earned a total of 50 million throughout its 100-day run and became one of the top 5 hit films of 2006.