Deepika Padukone recently expressed her desire to star in a romantic comedy, stating that she feels "the audience is seeking something else". This comes even as her husband, Ranveer Singh, is enjoying the widespread success of his recently released action thriller, "Dhurandhar".
Padukone, who celebrated her 40th birthday on January 5th, 2026, engaged with fans at a meet-and-greet event where the topic of her future roles arose. When asked about her plans to star in a rom-com, she responded optimistically, saying, "I really hope very, very soon... As you all know, it is also one of my favourite genres, as an audience, and also as an actor". However, she also acknowledged the current cinematic landscape, adding, "I just feel like the climate right now or the environment right now…I feel like the audience is seeking something else". Despite this, she remains hopeful, stating, "But if so many of you want a rom-com, I'm sure that's a large part of the public that wants that".
The question of who Padukone should star with in a potential rom-com sparked lively debate among fans. Suggestions ranged from Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan to her own husband, Ranveer Singh. While all three actors received enthusiastic responses, the loudest cheers were reserved for Ranveer Singh. In response to the suggestions, and with a playful nod to her husband's recent film, the event host jokingly asked Padukone to comment, "'Dhurandhar' and all is alright," to which she responded with a smile.
Padukone also addressed the challenges in getting rom-coms made, remarking on how producers and writers seem to be less inclined to back lighter genres at the moment. "This is something that even my team and I keep looking out for constantly," she explained. "We're constantly looking for drama, love story, rom-com, these genres. But I feel like there are very few producers backing that kind of content or very few writing that right now". She even polled her fans about whether they would be disappointed if she did a rom-com for an OTT platform rather than a theatrical release.
Meanwhile, Ranveer Singh's "Dhurandhar," directed by Aditya Dhar and also starring Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt, continues to perform well at the box office. Padukone showed her support for the film, sharing on her Instagram that the action thriller was "worth every minute". She also lauded her husband's performance in the film. MasterChef Vikas Khanna even hosted the couple at his New York restaurant to celebrate the film's success.
Adding to the nostalgia, Ranveer Singh's earlier romantic comedy, "Band Baaja Baaraat" with Anushka Sharma, is set to re-release in cinemas on January 16, 2026. This re-release occurs amidst the success of "Dhurandhar".
