Palak Tiwari has spoken about Deepika Padukone as her biggest inspiration in Indian cinema, describing her as the “quintessential heroine” and praising her approach to playing strong women on screen.

"Nobody does it like her": Palak Tiwari on Deepika Padukone, her "quintessential heroine"

“Nobody does it like her”: Palak Tiwari on Deepika Padukone, her “quintessential heroine”

“Nobody does it like her. She is your quintessential heroine. What I love about her is that she has never tried to be a hero, because being a heroine in itself is so powerful. Heroines exist for a reason. Not every girl needs to beat up a man,” Tiwari said.

She pointed to Deepika’s performance in Jawan as a specific example. “Even when she’s done strong roles, they are strong because of what makes them a woman. Even in Jawan, with that whole jail sequence, how strong. She didn’t beat anyone up. She didn’t do anything. But that’s a woman, right? And that’s the crux of a woman.”

Tiwari began her career as an assistant director before making her acting debut in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. She has spoken about Deepika’s influence on her in several interviews, consistently pointing to how the actress has built her screen identity around femininity rather than approximating typically masculine ideas of strength.

Deepika Padukone has built one of Indian cinema’s most varied filmographies over two decades, with performances spanning Om Shanti Om, Padmaavat, Gehraiyaan, and Jawan. Earlier this year, she was named to the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026, becoming the first Indian actress to receive the honour.

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