Whether Deepika Padukone will become a Hollywood A-lister remains to be seen, but her role in xXx: Return Of Xander Cage is in itself an achievement. Back in the day, India would’ve bet that if any Bollywood star gets a leading role in one of Hollywood’s most successful franchises, it would be Aishwarya Rai. So why couldn’t the ‘world’s most beautiful woman’ be a hit abroad?
When Ash first came on the scene, we were blown away by her beauty – brown eyes, fair skin (aka firang features). “She’s going to break through Hollywood,” we said. But in Hollywood, where fair-skinned, brown-eyed beauties come a dime a dozen, Ash was just another woman, and US directors probably asked, “So what’s she bringing new to the sets?”
Flashforward to 2016, Deepika looks undeniably Indian – thick eyebrows, raven black hair and retaining her Indian accent in xXx. She strikes a contrast to Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev in the film – that’s what she brought to the sets. What Deepika offers, you won’t find in any other Hollywood actress and that probably worked in Priyanka Chopra’s favour too. They are not interchangeable with the candy floss Hollywood blondes – Malin Akerman, Diane Kruger etc.
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And that’s why Deepika and Priyanka could do what Ash couldn’t. Who would’ve thought that Ash’s USP in India would be exactly what murdered any career she might have had in Hollywood?