Deepika Padukone deserves to get a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, Freida Pinto says it shouldn't cause ‘endless debate’

Freida Pinto has reacted to Deepika Padukone becoming the first Bollywood actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Updated on: Jul 4, 2025, 21:26:47 IST

By Santanu Das

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Actor Deepika Padukone was named one of the honorees for the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026 in the Motion Pictures category. The actor became the first Indian actress to get the honour. Now actor Freida Pinto, of Slumdog Millionaire fame, has reacted to the news and defended the recognition that Deepika has received. (Also read: Deepika Padukone to receive a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, becomes first Indian actress to get the honour)

Freida Pinto congratulated Deepika Padukone for receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

What Freida said about Deepika

Freida took to her Instagram Stories and wrote, “To my fellow South Asians- Let’s celebrate our own and not bring them down please. News like this should make us feel proud to see a hardworking, talented Indian woman of substance being celebrated on a global platform. This topic doesn’t need to lend itself to endless debate. Congratulations Deepika, you deserve the recognition!”

About the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Deepika was named one of the honorees for the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026 in the Motion Pictures category. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce revealed the list live, placing Deepika alongside international icons such as Demi Moore, Rachel McAdams, Emily Blunt, Timothée Chalamet, Rami Malek, and Stanley Tucci.

On Thursday, Deepika took to Instagram Stories to react to the achievement. She expressed her emotion in one word, “Gratitude...”

Deepika is the first Indian actress to get the honour. Before this, the class of Hollywood Walk of Fame, in 1960, included an Indian name for the first time before 2025. The name was Sabu Dastagir, who was the son of an elephant mahout who was selected by American filmmaker Robert Flaherty for his 1937 film, Elephant Boy, based on a Rudyard Kipling book. Previously, Mindy Kaling became the first South Asian woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Deepika was last seen in Kalki 2898 AD. She will be next seen in Atlee's film with Allu Arjun.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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