📌 Key Points
- Farah Khan sent Deepika Padukone to Anupam Kher’s acting and Kathak classes for months.
- Deepika spent 10 days on set observing Shah Rukh Khan and Shreyas Talpade work before her own shoot.
- Om Shanti Om launched Deepika’s career, earning her widespread praise for her dual roles.
- Deepika and SRK are reuniting for their sixth film, ‘King’, directed by Siddharth Anand.
Filmmaker Farah Khan recently unveiled the unconventional training regimen she devised for Deepika Padukone’s grand Bollywood debut in “Om Shanti Om.” She revealed sending Deepika to acting and Kathak classes, followed by an unusual on-set observation period with Shah Rukh Khan.
Deepika’s Rigorous Debut Preparation
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone made her grand Bollywood debut alongside Shah Rukh Khan in 2007. The film, directed by Farah Khan , featured both Shah Rukh and Deepika in double roles. In her recent cooking vlog, Farah recalled how she trained Deepika for her debut film.
Farah and her cook, Dilip, recently visited Dia Mirza’s home for an episode of their cooking vlog. During the conversation, Dia revealed that she was not given any workshops or dance classes when she made her Bollywood debut and was instead pushed into working 27–28 hours non-stop.
Farah then revealed how she prepared Deepika for Om Shanti Om and said, “Deepika, how much care I took of you. Pehle toh maine usse 3-4 mahine Anupam Kher ki classes mein bheja, fir maine usse Kathak classes mein bheja (First, I sent her to Anupam Kher’s acting classes for three to four months. After that, I enrolled her in Kathak classes). We did so many look tests.”
Shah Rukh Khan’s On-Set Influence
Farah further revealed, “Uski shoot bhi I started 10 days later. I said 10 din toh aake (I started her shoot 10 days later as well. I told her, ‘For the first 10 days, just come to the set’) and just be there on set, see how Shah Rukh Khan is working, how Shreyas Talpade is working. Just come and sit there every day.”
Dia agreed, adding that such preparation can make a huge difference for newcomers.
Om Shanti Om: A Career-Defining Launch
For Deepika, Om Shanti Om proved to be a career-defining launchpad. Playing the dual roles of the glamorous 1970s superstar Shantipriya and contemporary actor Sandy, she received widespread praise for her performance and became an overnight sensation. Since then, Shah Rukh and Deepika have gone on to deliver several hits and blockbusters, including Chennai Express, Happy New Year, Pathaan and Jawan.
The duo have now reunited for their sixth film together, King. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Suhana Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Raghav Juyal and Arshad Warsi in key roles. The film is scheduled to release in cinemas on 24 December 2026.
This unique training approach, emphasizing both formal lessons and practical observation, clearly laid a strong foundation for Deepika Padukone’s stellar career. Her debut in “Om Shanti Om” remains a testament to Farah Khan’s mentorship.
