Deepika Padukone’s luxury skincare brand, 82°E, has reported significant financial challenges, posting a staggering loss of ₹12.26 crore in the 2024-25 financial year, according to the latest Ministry of Corporate Affairs filings. The revelation comes as the celebrity-backed venture continues to struggle in India’s competitive beauty and skincare market, despite the actor’s massive social media influence and star power.
The financial crisis has deepened as the company’s revenue dipped by over 30 percent, plummeting from ₹21.21 crore in 2023-24 to just ₹14.66 crore in 2024-25. Operating under the legal entity DPKA Universal Consumer Ventures Private Limited, with Deepika and her father, Prakash Padukone, listed as directors, the brand has remained unprofitable since its launch in 2021.
A Glimmer of Hope Amid Mounting Losses
Despite the bleak financial outlook, there is one silver lining. The magnitude of losses has decreased compared to the previous financial year when the company hemorrhaged over ₹23 crore. Although the management’s cost-cutting measures are beginning to show some effect, profitability remains elusive.
According to MCA filings, the company’s management stated: “The management is continuously taking efforts to increase the revenue and reduce expenses to ensure it has a profitable track record.” This commitment is evident in the drastic restructuring of expenditures. The company has slashed its marketing expenditure dramatically from ₹20 crore to merely ₹4.4 crore, a staggering 78 percent reduction. Overall operational expenses have also been curtailed substantially, declining from ₹47 crore to just under ₹26 crore.
Premium Positioning Fails to Guarantee Success
Launched in 2021 as a luxury skincare brand, 82°E positions itself in the high-end market segment with products priced upwards of ₹2,500. The brand leverages Deepika’s formidable social media presence and massive fan following, yet has failed to translate brand affinity into sustained profitability. This puzzling disconnect between celebrity endorsement and market success raises questions about pricing strategy, product-market fit, and consumer demand in the luxury skincare segment.
The contrast with competitors is stark and tells a cautionary tale. Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty, launched in 2019, has not only sustained sales momentum but has also achieved remarkable profitability in recent years, a success story that underscores the challenges unique to 82°E’s business model.
What Lies Ahead for the Brand?
The dramatic reduction in marketing spend, while necessary for cost management, poses a strategic dilemma. With a 78 percent cut in market expenditure, the brand risks losing visibility in an increasingly crowded luxury beauty landscape. Whether 82°E can reverse its financial trajectory through aggressive revenue-generation strategies or product innovation remains to be seen.
On the entertainment front, Deepika’s commitments include Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming thriller King (releasing April 2026) and a collaboration with Telugu star Allu Arjun on director Atlee’s untitled project. Whether her flourishing film career can eventually provide the momentum needed to turn around her struggling skincare venture is a question that industry observers are closely monitoring.
By – Sonali