'I Was Never Afraid To Challenge Norms': Deepika Padukone Addresses 'Spirit' & 'Kalki 2' Row After Claiming Top Actress Spot

Mumbai: IMDb released a report titled ‘25 Years of Indian Cinema (2000-2025)’ on Tuesday, which analyses Indian film industry’s evolution over the last quarter century.

The report features five most popular Indian movies released every year between January 1, 2000 and August 31, 2025, and actors with ‘The Most Popular Titles’.

Among the actors with ‘The Most Popular Titles in 25 years of Indian cinema (2000-2025)’, Deepika Padukone claimed the 4th spot overall, after Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan.

The report highlighted that 10 of the 130 movies between 2000 and 2025 featured Deepika.

Reacting to the news that she has been listed as the top actress with The Most Popular Titles, Deepika said, “When I began my journey, I was often told how a woman must or is expected to navigate her career in order 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 in order to reshape the mould we have all been expected to fit into.”

“The faith my family, fans and collaborators have had in me, have also empowered me to make the choices and decisions that I have, hopefully forever altering the path those after me will tread. IMDb’s Report on 25 Years of Indian Cinema further validates and strengthens my belief that honesty, authenticity and resilience matter, and that by being true to your core beliefs with consistency, change is possible,” she added, while indirectly addressing the ongoing ‘Spirit’ and ‘Kalki 2 row.

For the unversed, Deepika was apparently dropped from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’ for demanding an 8-hour work shift.

She also exited the ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel, with the filmmakers announcing that the project needs “higher level of commitment”.

Earlier this month, Vyjayanthi Movies announced Deepika’s exit with a post on X. “This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel to Kalki 2898 AD. After careful consideration, we have decided to part ways. Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership. A film like Kalki 2898 AD deserves that commitment and much more. We wish her the best with her future works.”

In the IMDB list, Shah Rukh bagged the top spot with 20 titles, followed by Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan with 11 each.

The other actors in the list include Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Anushka Sharma, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ajay Devgn, Prabhas and Alia Bhatt.