Top header Banner
Top header Banner
Middle top Banner

Deepika Padukone vs Alia Bhatt: Decoding Bollywood’s leading female stars

Not-so-long ago, it was Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone who were pitted against each other. The two leggy beauties even managed to have Hollywood releases around the same time adding fuel to the fire. But looks like that is a thing of the past now! It’s officially become Deepika Padukone versus Alia Bhatt.

Wait till we get to the point. Although Alia may have debuted in Bollywood five years after Padukone, the actress certainly managed to size up to Deepika’s stardom quite quick. What unfolded next is what we’d like to take you through..

Every decade, a star transpires who has survived the industry and emerged victorious. Not every actor’s label leads to stardom, and only a few make the cut. Deepika Padukone is currently the highest-paid actress, and with the massive success of ‘Pathaan’, she is poised to reclaim her throne. However, the actress who rose to international prominence has a fierce rival in Alia Bhatt.

Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone have a lot in common, but what sets these two performers apart from the rest is their flawless stardom. Alia and Deepika are mature enough to be able to appreciate each other’s work and be formidable friends in a field where women are frequently pitted against one another. And while friendships of this nature are uncommon in the industry, these two ladies have set the bar exceptionally high.

Deepika, an outsider, who started her career way back in 2007 has amassed a sizable fan base, but Alia Bhatt, a star child, who made her debut with ‘Student of The Year’ has established herself in the profession via her charisma and acting prowess. While Deepika has established a global presence, she has frequently been compared to Priyanka Chopra; however, to everyone’s surprise, Alia Bhatt has seamlessly positioned herself and is a cutthroat competitor for the actress. Putting Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt together may seem strange given their respective bodies of work, but Alia the new mommy is certainly setting an example and is a fierce competitor to Deepika.

Apart from Ranbir Kapoor, the connection to Sanjay Leela Bhansali is another important thread that binds them together. While Deepika Padukone had the opportunity to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali thrice in films including ‘Ram Leela’, ‘Bajirao Mastani’ and ‘Padmavat’; Alia Bhatt did ‘Gangubai Kathiwadi’ with Bhansali and garnered all the praise for her outstanding performance.

Risk taker
Deepika has always taken calculative risks on the professional front however Alia Bhatt has been a fierce actor who challenged herself and took unconventional route and choose to do films like ‘Udta Punjab’, ‘Highway’, ‘Dear Zindagi’ in the initial days of her career. She also chooses to be a mother at the peak of her career which is one of the biggest decisions she took and set an example for all the other actors who shy away from doing so.

Fee – Who charges more?
Well, the dice keep moving from one spectrum to the other and to be fair in terms of their fee per film, Deepika Padukone is one of the highest paid actresses in Bollywood. Deepika Padukone reportedly charges around 20-25 crores per film, and it only reflects her stardom and popularity.

Alia, on the other hand, charges 15 to 20 crores per film and, to be fair, her investors are pleased with the box office returns.

International Acclaim
Deepika has already added an international film in her filmography after she made her international debut in 2017 with Vin Diesel in ‘XXX: Return of Xander Cage’ whereas the young budding actress Alia Bhatt is set to make her Hollywood jump with ‘Heart of Stone’, which also stars Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan. Both the actresses have outdone themselves and has emerged as stars in a due course of time.

Success in films
Deepika who started her career with Om Shanti Om has delivered number of hit films including ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’, ‘Love aaj Kal’, ‘Cocktail’, ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani’, ‘Chennai Express’, ‘Ram Leela’, ‘Piku’, ‘Bajirao Mastani’, ‘Padmaavat’, ‘83’, ‘Pathaan’. Deepika had taken calculated risks, but most of her decisions paid off and were financially successful.

Whereas Alia Bhatt in a short span of time had huge successes like ‘Student Of The Year’, ‘Highway’, ‘2 States’, ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’, ‘Kapoor & Sons’, ‘Udta Punjab’, ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’, ‘Raazi’, ‘Gully Boys’, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, ‘Darlings’, ‘RRR’ and ‘Brahmastra’. Alia is renowned for taking chances with her movies and putting more emphasis on her acting skills than worrying about how each movie will turn out.

Dance numbers
Deepika a versatile actress is a trained dancer and has performed in several popular film songs including ‘Pinga’,’Ghoomar’, ‘Nagada Sang Dhol’ showcasing her grace and poise on the dance floor. Deepika clearly has more grace in terms of dance as she surrenders herself to the choreographers and moves with ease.

Alia Bhatt is considered one of the most promising young actresses in Bollywood, known for her natural acting ability and versatility. She has also been praised for her dancing skills and has performed in several film songs including ‘Dholida’, ‘Tamma Tamma again’, ‘Saturday Saturday’ showcasing her energy and infectious spirit.

Interestingly both these heroines have had a massive hit a few months apart from each other. Alia’s movie ‘Brahmastra’ with Ranbir Kapoor was the only blockbuster of 2022 that went on to earn over Rs 400 crore at the box office. Whereas Deepika’s ‘Pathaan’ opposite Shah Rukh Khan has managed to break the boycott Bollywood trend and crossed the Rs 500 crore mark in less than a week. And even though the two ladies may want to steer clear of a competition in the tinsel town’s number game, it’s not long before you get pitted against one another. Do you think the in Hindi film’s numero uno game Deepika and Alia are two of the strongest contenders?

However, but it’s important to remember that competition in the entertainment industry is subjective and each artist has their own unique strengths and talents. While both are racing on to their own journey, we would like to know whom do you personally prefer more Deepika or Alia?

By Uma Ramasubramanian