1 year of ‘Jawan’: When Deepika Padukone had no idea she was one of the main characters in the film 

Deepika Padukone in Jawan Pic/X

Deepika Padukone made an unforgettable debut alongside Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Om Shanti Om' (2007). Since then, the duo has continued to captivate audiences with a series of successful collaborations, including ‘Chennai Express', ‘Happy New Year', ‘Pathaan', and ‘Jawan'. The blockbuster film ‘Jawan', which was released in 2023 and earned over 1000 crores at the global box office, showcased their undeniable chemistry once again. In ‘Jawan', Deepika took on a pivotal extended cameo role as Aishwarya Rathore, the wife of Shah Rukh Khan's character Vikram Rathore.

Shah Rukh Khan fooled Deepika Padukone to act in ‘Jawan'

At the film's success press conference last year, Shah Rukh Khan playfully revealed that he and director Atlee had misled Deepika into thinking her role was just a small cameo. "Deepika is feeling the most awkward, I will tell you why, because she feels, ‘main toh dosti me chhota sa role karne aa gayi thi,' but between me and Atlee, we fooled her and shot a full-length movie with her. When she saw the film she was like, ‘Oh I am one of the main characters'… but thank you Deepika from the bottom of our hearts for being part of this film," Shah Rukh remarked, affectionately referring to her as "a family."

Deepika Padukone on the length of her role in ‘Jawan'

Deepika revealed that she was approached for the role while working on Nag Ashwin's Project K, now titled Kalki 2898 AD, in Hyderabad. Reflecting on her experience, she shared, "They narrated the whole story to me and told me this very important part of Aishwarya and for me, it was not about the length of the role. It was the impact that this character is going to have on the entire film. So it was two-fold for me, one is everyone knows my love for him (SRK). Whenever he wants, I will always be there."

She added, "But also, the movie was so special that as any actor, not just me, if offered the part, they would say yes to it because it was about the vision. I think all of us, everyone here has invested in that vision. It's not about how big or small your role was. It was about the story we were telling, the impact that this movie was going to have on the lives of this amazing audience."

SRK calls Deepika Padukone large size actor

Shah Rukh Khan praised Deepika's decision to embrace the role, highlighting her dedication and courage. "For her to have done this role, also as an actor, is very gutsy. I always say 'There are no small roles, there are only small actors'. I think with this film, Deepika proves to everybody that she really is a large-size actor, big-size actor. Thank you, Deepika."

Their heartwarming bond, mutual respect, and natural chemistry continue to shine through their collaborative projects, making every appearance together a memorable experience for fans.