Actor Deepika Padukone will serve as an international jury member at the upcoming edition of the Cannes International Film Festival, that is to be held from May 17 to May 28.
Padukone, known for her performances in films like Piku, Chhapaak, and XXX: Return of Xander Cage, is part of the nine-member jury for the 75th edition of Cannes, which will be presided over by French actor Vincent Lindon. The jury also comprises actors Rebecca Hall and Noomi Rapace, and directors Jasmine Trinca, Asghar Farhadi, Ladj Ly, Jeff Nichols, and Joachim Trier.
The Cannes announcement describes Padukone as “an actor, producer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur from India” and “a huge star in her country.”
“With over 30 feature films to her credit, she made her English language film debut as the female lead in XXX: Return of Xander Cage, co-starring with Vin Diesel. She is also the principal of Ka Productions, the production company behind Chhapaak and ‘83, in which she also starred, as well as the upcoming film The Intern,” the note adds.
It further highlights her work in creating awareness on mental health, and says, “In 2015, she set up The Live Love Laugh Foundation, whose programs and initiatives aim to destigmatize mental illness and raise awareness about the importance of mental health.”
The announcement from Cannes comes a few weeks after Time magazine named Padukone one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Padukone follows Indian actors like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Nandita Das, and Vidya Balan, who have previously served as members of the prestigious festival’s international jury in the past. Rai was the first Indian woman to ever serve as a member of the international jury at Cannes.
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Others like historian Krishna Riboud, filmmakers Mrinal Sen, Shekhar Kapur, Mira Nair, author Arundhati Roy, and film journalist Anupama Chopra have also been called upon to serve as jury members for different categories at the festival.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Padukone will next be seen in Pathaan, alongside Shahrukh Khan and John Abraham, and Fighter opposite Hrithik Roshan. She is also part of a Prabhas-starrer as well as an untitled film on the mythical character Draupadi from the Mahabharata.