KJo halts next production for Deepika Padukone's maternity leave: Report
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh recently broke the internet after announcing that they are expecting their first child in September 2024. This, naturally, has led to the restructuring of Padukone's upcoming projects. While Singham Again and Kalki 2989 AD are ready to be released this year, she is reportedly also in talks with filmmaker Karan Johar for his next production. Per reports, Johar will wait until the end of Padukone's maternity leave to get his film on the floors.
Johar is in no hurry to start the project
Insiders close to the project have shared that Johar has an author-backed film in mind for Padukone. A source told Zoom, "She loves the subject. But she told Karan he needn't wait. Karan insists she (can) take as long as she wants, as her motherhood is and should be a top priority." There is "no hurry" for Johar, who has "many other projects he wants to produce simultaneously." Padukone-Johar earlier collaborated on Gehraiyaan and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.
KJo earlier halted the shoot of 'RARKPK' for Alia Bhatt
Earlier, Johar had set a brilliant example of inclusion and female empowerment when he delayed the shoot of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani due to Alia Bhatt's pregnancy. Bhatt announced that she is expecting in June 2022 and KJo waited for her to return to work to shoot the song Tum Kya Mile. The film was released in July 2023 and was a commercial-critical success.
More about Padukone's pregnancy announcement
The speculation around Padukone's pregnancy first swirled in February when Padukone was a presenter at the BAFTA awards. Eagle-eyed viewers noticed that she looked slightly different and also pointed out how she gave Fighter's promotions a miss not too long ago. Speaking to Vogue in January, Padukone had hinted at her pregnancy and said, "We look forward to the day when we will start our own family."
More about DP's two releases this year
Padukone was last seen in Siddharth Anand's Fighter, a January 2024 release. She will next have a release in the form of Nag Ashwin's Kalki 2898 AD, co-starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan. Padukone will then have a power-packed role in Rohit Shetty's Singham Again, which co-features Singh, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Arjun Kapoor, and Kareena Kapoor Khan. It will be released on August 15, 2024, clashing with Pushpa 2: The Rise.
