Deepika Padukone shines bright, inspires at WAVES stage

As someone who moved to Mumbai when she was just 18, Bollywood star Deepika Padukone says she has done quite well for herself by creating a space in the world of entertainment.

The 39-year-old actor joined superstar Shah Rukh Khan for a session titled "The Journey: From Outsider To Ruler" at the inaugural WAVES Summit on Thursday here.

"Today when I look back at the journey... For an 18-year-old to move to a big city... It was a big decision to make. Those little things, having to navigate life with trial and error. Overall, when I look back I say, Not bad, well done.

"I am actually going to tell myself I have done pretty well. You don't really sit back and look at the journey. I don't celebrate the moments too much. I look at things in a straightforward way," said Deepika, who started out as a model before making her acting debut with 2007's "Om Shanti Om" opposite Shah Rukh.

In her "me time", the "Padmaavat" star said she focuses on everyday things like running her house.

"There's a study where all the mail comes... I sort out all of it... Cleaning the kitchen, checking vegetable stock for the week, laundry... I don't know any other way. Maybe because I started out this way. I didn't have a big house earlier. I didn't have house help," she added.

Shah Rukh, who also starred with Deepika in movies such as "Happy New Year", "Chennai Express", "Pathaan," and "Jawan," praised the actor, saying she will be a great mother to Dua, her daughter with actor-husband Ranveer Singh.

"The role she is going to play the best is that of a mother to Dua. She is really going to be a wonderful mom," he said.

Deepika called the inaugural World Audiovisual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) "a timely event."

"The way this has come together, it was high time. India being the center of it (cinema and entertainment) is the right time. It's the coming together of AI, tech, and storytelling," she added.

WAVES will integrate films, OTT, gaming, comics, digital media, AI, AVGC-XR, broadcasting, and emerging tech, and seek to present itself as a comprehensive showcase of India's media and entertainment prowess.

The summit, being held at the Jio World Convention Centre, aims to unlock a USD 50 billion market by 2029, expanding India's footprint in the global entertainment economy.