After a dream debut with Bollywood ‘Badshaah’ Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Om Shanti Om’, Deepika Padukone appears set to storm the south with a possible role opposite Tamil superstar Rajinikanth in the big-budget film “Robot”.

Padukone’s name is “on the top of the list of contenders for heroine” in the Rs 100-crore venture by director Shankar, sources in the film production unit here said.

Shankar, who directed last year’s runaway hit “Sivaji – The Boss” also starring Rajinikanth, has already teamed up with the style icon and renowned music composer A R Rehman.

The 22-year-old model-turned-actress has received the Star Screen award for “most promising newcomer” and Stardust “Superstar of Tomorrow”" award.

Going by the mantra that actresses make a dent in Kollywood after starring opposite Rajinikanth or Kamal Hassan, the media began the buzz about Deepika acting in “Robot”.

The speculation earlier was that Shah Rukh Khan would play the lead in the the film, to be made in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, before Shankar succeeded in getting the Tamil matinee idol to agree.

• My Name Is Khan to screen at Berlin film festival
• Om Shanti Om at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
• OSO : Nominations for 3rd Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards
• Farah Khan gave birth to triplets
• Shahrukh khan beat to amitabh bachchan in German
• Om Shanti Om take lead in 53rd Annual Filmfare Awards
• Arjun was my first crush : Deepika Padukone
• Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor not long ago
• Deepika nominated for best actress in Asian Film Awards
• Om Shanti Om has done the most business in overseas
• Om Shanti Om DVD is releasing on January 22nd
• Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone won Star Screen Award
• Deepika Padukone recieved Star Screen and Star Dust Award
• Om Shanti Om doing roaring business in Kerala
• Deepika in Australia celebrate her birthday with Yuvraj Singh