Meet man who was madly in love with Madhuri Dixit, then married his cousin, now his daughter is Bollywood’s biggest star, he is prakash padukone
This man was once madly in love with Madhuri Dixit. However, his love never bloomed as Madhuri got married. Scroll down to read his name.
Published: August 8, 2025 11:46 PM IST
Deepika Padukone is one such star who once had no connections in the industry, yet rose to fame like no one else ever did. Her debut was extremely powerful when she shared the screen with none other than Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om. The movie was a huge hit, and since then, Deepika established herself as an actor in Bollywood. While Deepika became an actress, her father comes from the sports fraternity.
Who is Deepika Padukone’s Father?
Deepika’s father is Prakash Padukone. He is a former Indian badminton player, widely considered the pioneer of Indian badminton. Despite coming from a different background, do you know that Deepika’s father loved Madhuri Dixit like anything?
Deepika Padukone’s Father Loved Madhuri Dixit
In an interview with India Today in 2016, Deepika had revealed that her father had a crush on Madhuri Dixit. Deepika had said, “When my father came to know about Madhuri Dixit’s marriage, he locked himself in the bathroom and kept crying. Later, he was ridiculed in the entire family for a long time.”
Deepika Padukone’s Father Married His Cousin
Deepika Padukone’s father, Prakash Padukone, once revealed the details of his marriage in an interview. While reflecting on his badminton career, including its highs and lows, he made a surprising revelation about his wife, Ujjala Padukone. Prakash shared that Ujjala is actually his cousin.
He said, “Despite being the world’s No. 1 ranked player, I lost the National Championship for the first time. I almost quit playing badminton. In a state of depression, I married my cousin Ujjala. After our wedding, we shifted to Copenhagen, where I worked until 1986. During that time, Deepika was born. I eventually retired in 1989.”
After their wedding, they were blessed with two daughters – Deepika Padukone and Anisha Padukone. Today, DeePee is one of the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood and is married to Ranveer Singh.
