Deepika Padukone Sparks Debate by Topping IMDb Rankings Despite Exiting Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD

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The latest industry debates centered around Deepika Padukone, considered the leading actress of Bollywood, following her exits from two major film projects, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit and the grand sci-fi Kalki 2898 AD.

Reports state that she left Spirit after requesting an eight-hour workday, bringing discussions about work-life balance within the film industry into the limelight. Meanwhile, the makers of Kalki 2898 AD said she exited because the schedule was too demanding. 

Padukone Tops IMDb’s Bollywood Actors Ranking

Coming into the fray, Padukone has discreetly given more weightage to the debate by confirming her status as the world's leading Bollywood lady. An interesting report from IMDb titled "25 Years of Indian Cinema (2000–2025)" analyzed the top five most popular Indian films released each year in the selected period between 2000 and 2025.

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Among the actors associated with these top titles, Padukone secured the fourth spot, featuring in ten of the 130 films analyzed.

She stands ahead of stalwarts such as Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Anushka Sharma, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ajay Devgn, Prabhas, and Alia Bhatt.

Will Padukone’s Choices Change Industry Norms?

Reacting to the list, Padukone emphasized authenticity and resilience in her response. "When I began my journey, I was often told how a woman must or is expected to navigate her career to be successful. However, from the very beginning, I was never afraid to ask questions, ruffle feathers, walk a more difficult path, and challenge the status quo to reshape the mould we have all been expected to fit into."

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She added, "The faith my family, fans, and collaborators have had in me has also empowered me to make the choices and decisions that I have, hopefully forever altering the path those after me will tread." 

Padukone's notion has found many adherents in the industry and her fan base. It highlights the importance of setting personal boundaries and making choices for themselves according to their values.

In establishing the Indian film industry, further continued success and influence define her as a trailblazer.

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