Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone made her grand Bollywood debut alongside Shah Rukh Khan in 2007. The film, directed by Farah Khan, featured both Shah Rukh and Deepika in double roles. In her recent cooking vlog, Farah recalled how she trained Deepika for her debut film.
Farah and her cook, Dilip, recently visited Dia Mirza’s home for an episode of their cooking vlog. During the conversation, Dia revealed that she was not given any workshops or dance classes when she made her Bollywood debut and was instead pushed into working 27–28 hours non-stop.
How Farah Khan prepared Deepika Padukone for Om Shanti Om
She said, “People whom you say you launched, when I used to hear stories about the level of love, care and attention you gave them. Unke workshops karwaye, classes lagwaye, tameez seekhayi ki acting kya hoti hai, dance classes karwaaye (you made them attend workshops, enrolled them in classes, taught them proper etiquette and what acting really is, and even arranged dance classes for them), diction coaching, I had nothing of that sort.”
Farah then revealed how she prepared Deepika for Om Shanti Om and said, “Deepika, how much care I took of you. Pehle toh maine usse 3-4 mahine Anupam Kher ki classes mein bheja, fir maine usse Kathak classes mein bheja (First, I sent her to Anupam Kher’s acting classes for three to four months. After that, I enrolled her in Kathak classes). We did so many look tests.”
Farah further revealed, “Uski shoot bhi I started 10 days later. I said 10 din toh aake (I started her shoot 10 days later as well. I told her, ‘For the first 10 days, just come to the set’) and just be there on set, see how Shah Rukh Khan is working, how Shreyas Talpade is working. Just come and sit there every day.”
Dia agreed, adding that such preparation can make a huge difference for newcomers.
About Om Shanti Om
Set across two timelines, Om Shanti Om follows Om, a junior artist who is reborn decades after being murdered and seeks justice for the death of his beloved, the famous actor Shantipriya. The film was a massive commercial success and emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2007. It was praised for its music, grand production design, nostalgic references to Bollywood and the chemistry between Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
For Deepika, Om Shanti Om proved to be a career-defining launchpad. Playing the dual roles of the glamorous 1970s superstar Shantipriya and contemporary actor Sandy, she received widespread praise for her performance and became an overnight sensation. Since then, Shah Rukh and Deepika have gone on to deliver several hits and blockbusters, including Chennai Express, Happy New Year, Pathaan and Jawan.
The duo have now reunited for their sixth film together, King. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Suhana Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Raghav Juyal and Arshad Warsi in key roles. The film is scheduled to release in cinemas on 24 December 2026.