Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, who made her acting debut with Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007), recently reflected on the criticism she faced regarding her accent and diction during her early career.
Despite the film’s success, Deepika was scrutinized for her voice and language skills. She spoke about navigating the “negativity” she encountered when first entering the industry, especially after the release of the Singham Again trailer, where similar comments resurfaced.
Farah Khan, the director of Om Shanti Om, also shared her insights on Deepika’s initial challenges. In a past interview with Komal Nahta, Farah admitted that Deepika’s voice was “really bad then,” noting the need for improvement in her diction. However, she praised Deepika’s on-screen charisma, stating, “Her face would light up when she performed in songs,” highlighting the actress’s expressiveness during musical numbers.
Farah revealed that another artist dubbed Deepika’s voice in the film due to her diction issues, although the rest of the movie utilized sync sound. “She was attending diction classes, but not very seriously. However, she was dedicated to dance classes and Anupam Kher’s acting school. I enrolled her in everything,” Farah shared, adding, “We were training her thoroughly.”
On the professional front, Deepika is set to appear in Singham Again, which will be released on November 1, 2024, alongside Ajay Devgn.
