Dear Deepika Padukone

Dear Deepika Padukone,

I’m trying to keep this note as short and to the point as possible.

I loved you in Piku, you were fabulous in Chennai Express. It’s inspiring how you have worked on yourself, your art and reached where you are in your life today with lakhs of women looking up to you. You deserve it for all the effort you have put in. You have spoken on grave issues like Mental Health, Depression and stood strong for such causes which is definitely commendable. Your recent movement to stop the sale of acid and tackle the problem at the root is brilliant.

However, the recent video of the TikTok challenge where along with a make-up artist you ask fans to recreate three of your favorite looks from your movies is extremely distasteful. And, I say this because you mention one of the look to be from your latest movie Chhapaak. (I haven’t seen the film yet since at my current health stage I can’t sit through a full movie in a theater)

A scar is a reality, Deepika, it’s not a ‘look’ that can be wiped off like makeup. 

After having undergone two heart surgeries, I can definitely say I live with scars and it’s not easy. I want to be seen as badass and beautiful with it and I prep up myself every time that I feel low. I try to keep myself upbeat, feel positive and accept the reality but its tough work. The thought of a mere blemish in me has hit my self-confidence at so many points in time which to be honest isn’t a welcome feeling. When I look at it, I’m reminded of an unpleasant situation in my life. It brings back many dreadful memories with it. I want to find pride and beauty but I end up with deep pain and anger. That’s an inner clash I find myself in every day. Despite my scar being something that can be hidden away from the world. 

But the faces of acid attack victims are there for everyone to see. The world looks at them, judges them, ridicules them, sympathizes with them and probably will take their eyes off because it’s repulsive to some. People ape those they want to become like. Most youngsters imitate gestures, dressing sense, demeanour and habits because they aspire to reach where the celebrities are. However, when there’s a challenge asking people to mask themselves as someone whose situation most others wouldn’t want to find themselves in what exactly are we trying to communicate? You would know it real well that there are a variety of products sold under the assurance of ‘no marks’ and that these exist with a reason.

While I have this perspective I am keen to understand what exactly did you and your team want to achieve through the platform? How did you think it was okay to trivialize someone else’s tragedy? What did you think you were sowing in young, impressionable minds? Through the challenge you would have hit your social media metrics, trended on campaigns, and received shares, likes, comments and tons of engagement. You are a well- known name and you’ll get it. That would have earned you a few more crores in the box office collection. But all this at what cost and who is paying the price? Also, I do not if Laxmi Aggarwal even had a say in all these promotional activities. 

You’ll walk away with the trophy, Deepika, the Maltis’ all over would probably still be cursing their fates or internally battling their realities. 

Did nobody ask you these questions? It’s pitiful that none around you could make you see this as a blatant flaw in your thought process. Does this come as the downside to fame?

If only Chhapaak that started out with a cause in mind, could have lived up to it. Could you have instead worked towards mobilizing hospitals to do a few plastic surgery procedures at subsidized costs so the victims could dream of getting back a normal life? Could there have been certain jobs thought for them where they can get the respect that any human deserves?  

Let’s pledge to remove the ‘look’ not create replicas of it.

The intent of the movie was to raise awareness about people’s trauma but I’m sorry it ended up as mockery of the same.

P.S. Whatever other publicity events you did, I’m staying away from them to keep this piece apolitical. But, this one could have definitely been avoided.

Reference News articles:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/deepika-padukone-attacked-for-tiktok-challenge-on-her-chhapaak-look-twitter-says-demeaning/story-snuZNagp99aV3dKSyezyYL.html

https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/deepika-padukone-throws-tiktok-challenge-on-her-chhapaak-acid-survivor-look-disgusting-says-internet-1638092-2020-01-18