Entertainment Desk:

Since the birth of her child, Deepika Padukone has rarely been seen on the silver screen. All her films were released in 2024. After the birth of her daughter, Dua, last September, she has largely stayed out of the public eye.

After years of waiting, the Hindi remake of ‘The Intern’ is finally moving ahead, but this time, Deepika Padukone won’t be acting in it.

She was earlier set to star with Amitabh Bachchan, but has now decided to only produce the film under her company, KA Productions, reports India Today.

A source close to the development told Mid-Day, “This time, Deepika will step away from acting in the film to serve solely as a producer, overseeing the creative and logistical reboot. A new leading lady is being cast to play the part she was once slated to perform.”

The source added that Padukone is using this shift to expand her creative horizons. “The Intern is the first of five projects she plans to mount in the coming year. She is looking to tell stories that are globally relevant.”

Based on the 2015 Hollywood hit starring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro, the Hindi version has been in the works since 2020, when KA Productions acquired the rights.

Originally, the senior role was to be played by Rishi Kapoor, but after his passing, Amitabh Bachchan came on board. However, the film’s production has faced repeated delays due to the pandemic, Padukone’s maternity break, and scheduling conflicts.

In 2020, Padukone had said, “’The Intern’ is an intimate, relationship-driven film, set in and around the workplace; a story that I believe is very relevant to the present-day social and cultural environment. I have been looking for a light, breezy comedy-drama and this story fits in seamlessly. I cannot wait to begin this journey.”