New day, new controversy for Deepika Padukone. Let’s take a deep look into the latest one that has connections with a ten year old video.
Deepika Padukone, an actress who’s mostly in the news courtesy her work or controversies, has yet again made it to the headlines and this time it’s something, the actor does not even needs to be sorry for.
For the unversed, Ranveer Sigh and Deepika Padukone featured in a Abu Dhabi tourism ad, where she can be seen wearing a abaya, a long and loose-fitting outer robe that covers the body, that resembles to hijab. Ever since, the video went out, netizens have been trolling the global star for agreeing to wear a hijab but had problems with a bindi. A section of social media users, also said that Deepika defamed Hindu culture by calling bindi ‘a sign of patriarchy’. But did the actress really say that?
Deepika’s 2015 video is the root cause
Let’s take a look back in 2015, when Deepika Padukone collaborated with her Cocktail director Homi Adajania, for Vogue India’s ‘My Choice’ campaign. In the 2:35 minute video, Deepika talks about a women’s emotions and there were several lines that had created a ruckus back in the year as well.
In the video that has 12.63 million views on YouTube, Deepika says, ‘My body, my mind, my choice. To wear the clothes I like; even if my spirit roams naked. To be a size 0 or a size 15. They don’t have a size for my spirit and never will. Your mind is caged, let it free. My body is not. Let it be.’
And here comes the problematic part, ‘My choice. To marry, or not to marry. To have sex before marriage, to have sex outside of marriage, or to not have sex. My choice. To love temporarily, or to lust forever. My choice. To love a man, or a woman, or both. Remember; you are my choice, I’m not your privilege. The bindi on my forehead, the ring on my figure, adding your surname to mine, they are all ornaments, they can be replaced. My love for you is not, so treasure that.’
Back in 2015, while many lauded it as a bold statement on women’s empowerment, others criticised it for being out of touch with the realities faced by women in different socio-economic contexts. But it is significant to note that even in the paid campaign, the actress never says that bindi ‘a sign of patriarchy’, but on the contrary the writer aims at making a man focus at women’s love rather that just at the expressions of it.
Deepika Padukone’s reaction to the backlash
During a conversation with Anupama Chopra, who also featured in the video, Deepika was asked if she knew the video would receive so much backlash, three months after it’s release. The actress clearly stated that she did not endorses everything said in the video. ‘When Homi gave me the script, I told him that there are couple of things that I don’t identify with. But that is his (Homi Adajania) creative piece, I can’t mess with that. But yes, personally there are several lines that I don’t endorse.’
Deepika even added that she looked at it from a macro perspective and not a micro perspective. ‘It’s always disappointing being blamed for things that I don’t endorse,’ she said ten years ago. However, things have not changed even a decade later.
Why this controversy is baseless?
When an actor is paid for a ad it’s mostly professional and not personal. It’s like asking Kiara Advani and Katrina Kaif, whether they drink Slice or Ajay Devgn, Mahesh Babu and Tiger shroff consume Vimal and Pan Bahar Elaichi.
In the same way, Deepika Padukone wearing a abaya can never be understood as a promoter of hijab. Moreover, the ad was shot at Abu Dhabi Mosque, where it’s mandatory for women to cover their heads and wear an hijab or abaya.
Be it the Abu Dhabi ad or the My Choice video, both do not feature any of actress’ personal views, but only paid promotions and campaign.
A controversy like this, makes us re-think to where draw the line and see the act and artist as two different entities.
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