Deepika Padukone resigns as MAMI chairperson citing work commitments

Deepika Padukone is stepping down as chairperson of the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) owing to her upcoming work commitments.

The actress, who had taken over from former chairperson Kiran Rao, was named to succeed her in 2019.

In a statement shared on Instagram Stories, the actress wrote, “Being on the board of MAMI and serving as chairperson has been a deeply enriching experience. As an artist it was invigorating to bring together cinema and talent from all over the world to Mumbai, my second home.

“I have come to realise, however, that with my current slate of work, I will be unable to give MAMI the undivided focus and attention it requires,” she continued. “I depart knowing that MAMI is in the best hands possible and that my bond and connection with the academy is one that will last a lifetime."

Padukone, last seen on the big screen in Meghna Gulzar’s drama Chhapaak (2020), has a number of film projects lined up. She has already filmed portions of filmmaker Shakun Batra’s next, still untitled, with co-stars Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ananya Pandey.

The actress and producer also revealed that veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan will be joining her on The Intern (2022), replacing the late Rishi Kapoor on the Hindi remake of the Hollywood feature film of the same name.

Padukone is also due to make her Telugu debut with Prabhas on director Nag Ashwin’s next, a multilingual science-fiction project. Bachchan is also part of the untitled pan-India film.

She is due to be seen next on the big screen in Kabir Khan’s 83 (2021) with husband Ranveer Singh, playing Romi Dev, wife of India's first World Cup-winning cricket captain Kapil Dev.