‘I wanted someone who looked like that era’s Hema Malini’: When Farah Khan called Deepika Padukone’s diction ‘really bad’ during Om Shanti Om |

Farah Khan launched Deepika Padukone in Om Shanti Om. She recalled Deepika’s initial diction challenges. Farah first noticed Deepika in an advertisement. She saw heroine potential in the young actress. Farah provided extensive training for Deepika’s debut. Deepika attended acting and dance classes. Her voice was eventually dubbed for the film. This preparation marked her entry into cinema.

Farah Khan, who launched Deepika Padukone in Om Shanti Om, once recalled that the actress’ diction wasn’t perfect, so another artist dubbed her voice. Despite this, the director was confident that Deepika had the looks and talent to be a heroine and trained her extensively for the role.

First impressions in a Fanta ad

In an old conversation with Komal Nahta, Farah shared, “I had seen her in an ad and I thought then that this girl is going to be a heroine. I spoke to her and I said I am making Happy New Year. I said I’ll test you and if you are good I’ll cast you opposite Shah Rukh. If you are not good, I will take you with Zayed.” The cast for Happy New Year was different at the time.

Spotting Deepika in Om Shanti Om

Months later, when Farah Khan was casting for Om Shanti Om, she saw Deepika in the Amrapali outfit from the song “Dhoom Tana.” “I wanted someone who could look like Hema Malini from that era, and I saw that in her,” she recalled.She added, “Her diction was bad but when she did songs, her face would light up. She was very expressive with songs. Everything else was sync sound but her voice was dubbed. She was doing diction classes, not very seriously. But she was doing dance class, diction class, Anupam Kher’s acting school. I enrolled her in everything. We were properly training her.”Om Shanti Om marked Deepika’s big Bollywood debut. The film also starred Shah Rukh Khan, Shreyas Talpade, Kirron Kher, Arjun Rampal and others.