A promotional video Deepika Padukone shot for her latest film ‘Chhapaak’ has backfired.
In the video, Padukone is seen giving a TikTok challenge to a user of the video-sharing social networking app who has the profile name @faby_makeupartist.
“I want to challenge Faby with three of my most favourite looks,” Padukone is seen telling the make-up artist Faby.
The actress adds that the three looks that Faby has to recreate on herself are from the films ‘Om Shanti Om’ and ‘Piku’, besides her look as the acid attack survivor Malti in ‘Chhapaak’.
In the 39-second video, Faby goes on to rapidly create all three looks on herself.
Perhaps Padukone was trying to show that ‘Chhapaak’, where her character is based on real-life acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, happens to be one of her most memorable roles. Social media users, however, wasn’t amused.
“And just when we thought that @deepikapadukone couldn’t mock Laxmi anymore through her PR stunts in JNU she comes up with TikTok challenge on acid attack victims. Gross,” tweeted one user Dr Smokiee along with the video.
Soon, the video went viral.
“This is sick beyond imagination. This is demeaning of every acid victim. @deepikapadukone should apologise immediately,” wrote user @HarjeetR.
“How in the world an acid attacked face can be her favourite look?? This is disgusting. Goes on to show how less they care about this issue. Everything they are doing is just for money,” wrote user @shruti2909.
Tweeted @shradxy: “Carrying scars is not ‘a look’ you sick @deepikapadukone.”
“[What] is an acid victim look?” asked @vikrantkumar.
“You do a movie on an acid attack victim, cry in every other promotional event n now this below the belt challenge where a acid attack face is her fav!” tweeted @Sharanyashettyy.
“This promo isn’t cool or cute. It’s insensitive and ghastly. The movie wasn’t about you and your make up. It was about a woman scarred for life. And victims like her, whose marks can’t be wiped off, unlike your make-up. You lost the plot,” tweeted @smitabarooah.
“Someone is receiving ludicrous amount of bad advice!!! Unless the sole aim is to be the most insensitive celeb in the history of this country,” wrote @vedvyazz.
“I am disgusted that I once liked this lady,” wrote @arpankaushik.
The video was one among several that Padukone had recorded with various TikTok artists for the promotion of ‘Chhapaak’.
