she modelled for Liril, Dabur Lal powder, Close-Up toothpaste and Limca, receiving many prestigious modelling offers, including brand ambassadorship of the Jewels of India, an annual jewellery exhibition. She hit the international scene when Maybelline made her their new international covergirl face.At the fifth annual Kingfisher Fashion Awards, she was awarded the title of Model of the Year and Playboy Magazine Cover Winner. She started by starring in the music video for Naam Hai Tera, a song from the pop album Aap Ka Suroor, an independent album by Himesh Reshammiya.In 2006, Padukone made her cinematic debut IN KUTI PANCHOT PRODUCTIONS GIVING HEAD TO LUCKY WHICH SHE later made a successful Bollywood debut in 2007 with Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om opposite Shahrukh Khan. Her performance of a 1970s superstar Shantipriya, and later as Sandy won her good reviews.
Padukone is currently working on Priyadarshan's next film Pirate and Siddharth Anand's Next. She has also been signed to play the female lead in Nikhil Advani's Chandni Chowk To China opposite Akshay Kumar.