Deepika Padukone on her Madame Tussauds statue: My mom never imagined I would make it here

Deepika Padukone said her wax statue at Madame Tussauds was not about vanity. ‘When they see my figure there, they’ll be reminded of someone who had some sort of impact on society,’ she says.

Deepika Padukone has time and again advocated the cause of mental illness by creating awareness about the significance of mental health. Coming forth and talking about her depression in public, Deepika has been striving to get rid of the stigma revolving around various mental diseases through her foundation, Live Laugh Love. Now, the actor who is currently in London to unveil her wax statue at the Madame Tussauds has dedicated her statue to her foundation. Deepika does not consider her statue as vanity and says that it stands for a purpose just like her.

Deepika Padukone with her Madame Tussauds’ wax statue.

“Honestly, the direction in which the world is moving, we are all so connected with one another but more importantly, there need to be messengers of hope. There need to be people that inspire and remain honest. Ever since I was a little girl, the question I always asked myself was, ‘What is my purpose behind what I am doing.’ I am extremely fortunate and privileged and I have worked hard as a human being to get to this place today and, through films, have the ability to touch and influence people’s lives.”

“I value that a lot and I think it’s very important. So when this opportunity came my way and they decided to honour me, I questioned the purpose as to what I was doing here and what was my contribution towards society. The voice inside me said that I would like it to be a Statue of Purpose. So hopefully when people come here to see the attraction and when they see my figure there, they’ll be reminded of someone who had some sort of impact on society,” she says.

Her wax figure features Deepika in the elegant and graceful Cannes look. But Deepika says more than anything else, she feels like she went back in time. Accompanying her are her husband, actor Ranveer Singh, parents Prakash Padukone and Ujjala Padukone, and sister Anisha Padukone. She says, “It’s a nostalgic moment in a way because the first and last time I ever went there was as a little girl with my family. Just yesterday when we were having lunch together, my mother said that she came here 35 years ago and she never imagined that she will have a daughter who will someday make it to the Madame Tussauds. We are here together as a family and it feels surreal.”