Deepika Padukone is shifting gears from acting to producing in the upcoming Hindi remake of the 2015 Hollywood film, The Intern. After being attached to the project for nearly five years, the actress has decided to step away from her acting role and will instead focus solely on producing the film under her banner, KA Productions.
Originally, the Hindi version of the Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway film was set to star Deepika alongside Rishi Kapoor. Following Rishi Kapoor's death, actor Amitabh Bachchan was brought on board to play the lead role.
A report by Mid-Day revealed, “This time, Deepika will step away from acting in the film to serve solely as a producer, overseeing the creative and logistical reboot. A new leading lady is being cast to play the part she was once slated to perform.”
The report added, “The Intern is the first of five projects she plans to mount in the coming year. She is looking to tell stories that are globally relevant."
The news comes months after Deepika Padukone walked out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit. The actress' decision to leave the film reportedly stemmed from creative differences and demands that included an eight-hour workday, profit-sharing, and substantial compensation. She also refused to deliver her dialogues in Telugu. Deepika has since been replaced by Triptii Dimri in Prabhas starrer Spirit.
There were also some rumours suggesting that Deepika might be exiting Kalki 2. Reports indicated friction on set due to her demands for shorter workdays after becoming a mother, potentially leading to her role being reduced or removed.
Sources close to the production soon debunked these rumours, stating that there had been no shoot, interaction, or fallout, as the film is still in development.
Deepika Padukone was last seen in the 2024 Diwali release, Singham Again. The actress welcomed her daughter Dua with husband Ranveer Singh in September last year.
