(Image source from: Instagram.com/deepikapadukone)
Trolls have once more targeted Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone. This time, it seems to be regarding "her choice." Well, not completely. Deepika Padukone, who has been involved in numerous controversies this year, recently featured in an advertisement for Experience Abu Dhabi, which is associated with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi. In the commercial, she appeared alongside her husband and frequent co-actor Ranveer Singh as the regional brand ambassador. The video shows the couple, dressed casually in western clothes, laughing over a sculpture at the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum and admiring the design of the well-known Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the city. While visiting the mosque, Deepika is seen in a red outfit that covers her fully apart from her face and hands, while Ranveer wears a black suit. Within hours, Deepika Padukone began to trend on social media as several accounts on X criticized her for wearing an item incorrectly labeled as a 'hijab,' which is actually an abaya.
Referring back to her 2015 short film for Vogue titled My Choice, where she supported women’s empowerment regarding their choices in clothing, lifestyle, and social interactions, one user questioned what happened to one's choice. Many similar posts were shared by various accounts. However, some fans defended Deepika Padukone, claiming she has always shown respect for cultural practices, which is what she did in the Abu Dhabi Tourism advertisement. Women visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque are required to wear long, loose-fitting, ankle-length attire and a headscarf. Many noted that Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh have visited numerous temples previously, whether for their wedding anniversary or before their daughter Dua was born last year. For their first wedding anniversary in 2019, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh went to the Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, and the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab to honor their heritage.
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"As we mark our first wedding anniversary, we seek Lord Venkateswara's blessings. Thank you all for your love, prayers, and good wishes! @ranveersingh," she posted. For the Lord Venkateswara Temple visit, Deepika wore a traditional red Kanjeevaram saree with golden embroidery while Ranveer dressed in a golden kurta-churidar with a beautifully embroidered jacket. "As we mark our first wedding anniversary, we seek blessings at Harmandir Sahib. Thank you to everyone for your love, prayers, and good wishes! @ranveersingh," she shared. At the Golden Temple, Deepika wore a maroon salwar-kameez and covered her head with a light dupatta. Meanwhile, Ranveer chose a floral kurta-pyjama ensemble and also covered his head with a mauve-colored patka, a Sikh head covering used instead of the full Sikh turban for religious occasions. A few days before welcoming their daughter Dua in September, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh prayed at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple during Ganesh Chaturthi.
Not only in real life, but the actress has also faced criticism for her outfits in movies. Do you recall the Besharam Rang bikini issue that happened before the launch of Pathaan two years back? Deepika Padukone has still not provided any comments regarding the recent negative feedback.
