Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone is once again making headlines, this time over her attire in a new Abu Dhabi commercial in collaboration with the city’s Department of Culture and Tourism.
The ad features Deepika and husband Ranveer Singh as brand ambassadors, exploring the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum and marveling at the stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Deepika’s deep maroon abaya, covering her body except for face and hands, triggered a heated debate online, while Ranveer appeared in a black suit.
Critics argued she compromised her freedom of expression by wearing a “hijab,” though experts clarified it was an abaya, appropriate for female visitors in mosques. Many reminded users of her 2015 short film My Choice, which highlighted women’s autonomy.
Fans defended Deepika, emphasizing that she was respecting local customs, requiring modest full-body covering clothing and a headscarf or dupatta inside the mosque.
This isn’t the first time Deepika has embraced traditional attire at religious or cultural sites. She and Ranveer have previously visited Tirupati’s Venkateswara Temple and Amritsar’s Golden Temple on anniversaries, and prayed at Mumbai’s Siddhi Vinayak Temple before their daughter Dua’s birth.
Deepika has faced wardrobe controversies before, notably for the “Besharam Rang” orange bikini scene in Pathaan. She has not commented on the Abu Dhabi debate yet, but social media buzz continues to rage.
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