Deepika Padukone: BIG news for xXx and Padmaavat star as she signs up for THIS huge role

The star, best known to Western audiences as the female lead in xXx: Return of Xander Cage, hit headlines over the last year for her work in the hugely controversial Padmaavat.

Now, she’s got another high-profile job on the horizon; as the star and a producer on a film about an acid attack survivor.

She’ll portray Laxmi Agarwal in the Meghna Gulzar-directed movie, after being “deeply moved” by the story.

“When I heard this story, I was deeply moved as it’s not just one of violence but of strength and courage, hope and victory,” she said, according to Filmfare.

“It made such an impact on me, that personally and creatively, I needed to go beyond and so the decision to turn producer.

“We look forward to commencing our journey on the film.”

Gulzar added: ”I was instinctively convinced that Deepika would do justice to the character and the story.

“Also, her physicality matched with what I’d imagined for Laxmi’s character.

“I’m grateful and encouraged that she was so spontaneous in her decision to do the film.

“When you take a face as beautiful as hers and portray her as an acid attack survivor, the magnitude of the violence and damage is that much more resounding.”

Agarwal is a TV presenter and campaigner who works to achieve better mental health care for acid attack survivors in India.

This will be Padukone’s first Hindi movie since Padmaavat, after her role on a production about Mumbai gangsters was postponed.