The news of Deepika Padukone being named as one of the presenters for the Oscars 2023 sent social media into a frenzy. Alongside other big names such as Riz Ahmed, Emily Blunt, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan and Zoe Saldaña, the 37-year-old actor has earned this honour through her incredible success in 2022 and 2023. With a slew of high-profile brand ambassadorships, awards, and film roles under her belt, it’s no surprise that Padukone’s star is on the rise, and presenting at the Oscars is the next logical step.
However, Padukone is not the first Indian presenter at the Oscars. In 2016, Priyanka Chopra presented the nominees for Achievement in Film Editing alongside American actor-director-producer-screenwriter Liev Schreiber. Before Chopra, in 1980, the late Indian model Persis Khambatta became the first Indian presenter when she announced the winner of the Best Feature-Length Documentary Film.
This year’s Oscars are significant for India, with SS Rajamouli’s epic period drama RRR nominated for Best Original Song for ‘Naatu Naatu’, and two Indian non-fiction films nominated for the best documentary and best documentary short awards. The high-energy dance number ‘Naatu Naatu’ will also be performed live at the ceremony. Padukone’s presence as a presenter adds to the inclusivity and representation at the Oscars, which have been criticised for a lack of diversity.
On the work front, Deepika Padukone has an exciting project in her pipeline as she is set to star alongside Hrithik Roshan in the upcoming aerial action thriller movie, Fighter. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film also features Akshay Oberoi, Karan Singh Grover, and Anil Kapoor in key roles. Fighter is scheduled to hit theatres on January 25, 2024.
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