Padmavati actor Deepika Padukone: Women have been conditioned to think about beauty in a certain way

Deepika Padukone at Padmavati 3D trailer launch. (Picture credit: Varinder Chawla)

The most-talked about feature of Padmavati’s official poster has been actor Deepika Padukone’s unibrow. For a story set in 13th-14th century, unibrow becomes a prerequisite for the female character, and that’s what Padukone is seen sporting on the poster and the trailer of Padmavati, which is about Indian queen Rani Padmini. Several female fans on social media praised the makers for Padukone’s look for staying true to that time, and also the actor for not shying away from challenging the society’s supposed beauty standards.

When asked about the response she has received for her look, Deepika Padukone, at the film’s 3D trailer launch, told media persons that she was aware that opting for a uni-brow was a "risk" because the audience has been conditioned to judge beauty in a certain way, but it was exactly that perception the makers wanted to question.

"In fact, I read some amazing articles that said how we turned beauty and changed its definition. It's high time we did that. As women, we have been conditioned to think a certain way. I am glad about what we did with Padmavati and my look. It takes an immense amount of belief for all of us to take that risk, in a sense because that is not how the audience is conditioned. Padmavati's beauty is beyond the physical beauty. It is her soul, her spirit, it is what she meant to her people. She is worshipped and we have to give her that due and this movie is that. Keeping all that in mind-courage, power and all of it," the actor said at the film’s press meet on Tuesday.

(Picture credit: Varinder Chawla) (Picture credit: Varinder Chawla) (Picture credit: Varinder Chawla) (Picture credit: Varinder Chawla) (Picture credit: Varinder Chawla)

Padmavati is helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and also features Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. Shahid Kapoor stars in the role of Rani Padmini’s husband, Raja Rawal Ratan Singh, while Ranveer Singh plays the ruler of Delhi Sultanate, Alauddin Khilji.

Padmavati arrives in theaters on December 1.