Why Deepika Padukone doesn’t want to play Draupadi in Aamir Khan’s 'Mahabharat'
After the colossal failure of Thugs of Hindostan, things don’t seem to be looking up for Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan.
The latest setback for the star has come with actor Deepika Padukone reportedly turning down an offer to be part of what is being touted as his magnum opus — Mahabharat.
At a time when all female actors in the industry want to be part of projects that give them a chance to work with the three Khans — Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir — what is it that could have prompted Padukone to say no?
Padukone had a successful run at the box office in 2018 with the release of Padmaavat, which, despite all the controversies surrounding it, managed to do well — actually, the movie could have done well because of the high-voltage drama that preceded its release because that may have motivated a lot more people to buy its tickets, just to find out what the controversy was all about!
But this piece is not a review of Padmaavat, it is rather an attempt to decipher the reasons that could have led to Padukone turning down Aamir and his film now.
Reports say Aamir had approached Deepika for the role of Draupadi in the film.
Padukone was, in fact, spotted outside the Thugs of Hindostan actor's house as well, which led to more speculation that talks were on the table.
Padukone has been on a break since the release of Padmaavat and is believed to have used the time to plan her wedding. After all, planning the extravaganza that her wedding was does require time, especially if the extravaganza also has to be treated like a top CIA secret.
But public figures are entitled to privacy in their lives, and we understand that.
Saying no to Mahabharat, however, is not part of the extended break because Padukone has signed a project which will be directed by Raazi director Meghna Gulzar.
The film, which is expected to go on the floors in March 2019, will be seeing Padukone turn producer. She will also reportedly be essaying the role of an acid attack victim in the yet-to-be-titled venture.
One reason why Padukone might have said no to Mahabharat is that she wants to take things easy and only do projects that she finds interesting and good for her professional growth.
So, could that have led her to saying yes to playing an acid attack victim, and no to playing Draupadi?
But won’t playing Draupadi be a more challenging task for an actor?
A woman ‘divided’ between five men, who is often blamed as the reason why the bloody battle of the Mahabharat was fought in the first place.
It is possible that having faced death threats and calls for cutting off her nose during the violent protests that rocked the nation before the release of Padmaavat, Padukone doesn’t want to get into another 'mythological' controversy.
Draupadi, like Rani Padmaavati, was a Hindu queen and could thus become the subject of mindless protests in the name of (mis)representation of history, culture, historical facts.
Another reason could be that Padukone doesn’t have too much faith perhaps in the abilities of Aamir to make a good movie. He might have done what he has in the past, but his work in Thugs of Hindostan shows he has lost touch with what the audience wants.
Also, when it comes to magnum opii, the Khans don’t seem to have a promising track record. Remember how Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) and Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan (2016) made audiences feel like running out of cinema halls?
It could be any of these reasons — or a mix of all of them.
Watch this space for who accepts the role finally and why!