Bollywood star Deepika Padukone is currently in the headlines for her upcoming projects. She’s working with director Atlee in a film featuring Allu Arjun, and earlier, she wrapped up shooting for Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’, sharing glimpses from the set on social media.

Meanwhile, two other major films — ‘Spirit’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ — have been making waves for an unexpected reason: Deepika has reportedly been dropped from both. While one exit was reportedly due to her 8-hour work shift restriction, the reason for the other remains unclear.

Amidst all this, a new buzz has stirred fans’ excitement — Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone may soon reunite for another film. Reportedly, Ranbir has spoken to Deepika about the project, and she has already allotted dates for it.

But today, let’s revisit one of Deepika’s memorable films where she romanced a co-star 16 years older than her — and still managed to deliver one of the biggest hits of her career.

When Deepika Was 23 and Paired Opposite Saif Ali Khan
Back in 2009, when Deepika was just 23 years old, she starred in Imtiaz Ali’s romantic drama ‘Love Aaj Kal’ alongside Saif Ali Khan, who was 39 at the time. Despite the age gap, their on-screen chemistry became one of the highlights of the film.

Produced under the banner of Maddock Films, the movie was made on a budget of around ₹35 crore and went on to become a blockbuster, grossing over ₹120 crore worldwide. It emerged as the second highest-grossing film of 2009 and received 12 Filmfare Award nominations, cementing its place as one of the iconic love stories of that decade.

Deepika and Saif’s Double Love Story
In the film, Deepika played Meera Pandit, while Saif Ali Khan portrayed two roles — the modern-day Jai Vardhan Singh, Meera’s boyfriend, and the old-school romantic Veer Singh Panesar. The narrative beautifully blended two eras of love, exploring how relationships evolve across generations.

Interestingly, ‘Love Aaj Kal’ was later remade in Telugu as ‘Teen Maar’, and in 2020, Imtiaz Ali revisited the title with a new version starring Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan — though it couldn’t match the original’s charm.

Even after years, ‘Love Aaj Kal (2009)’ remains special for fans — not just for its music and emotions, but also because it showcased a young Deepika Padukone at her romantic best, holding her own opposite a seasoned actor like Saif Ali Khan.