Deepika trolled for turning Chhapaak look into TikTok challenge

Deepika Padukone in a still from Chhapaak

Actor Deepika Padukone is at the centre of a social media storm after she was slammed for a TikTok video, where she challenges an influencer to recreate her acid attack survivor 'look' from her latest film Chhapaak.

The TikTok challenge thrown by the 34-year-old actor was called "insensitive", "crass" and the "worst kind of promotion."

In a 39-second video that went viral on social media on Saturday, Deepika is seen asking make-up artiste Faby to recreate her "three favourite looks" from her films. Faby recreates the actor's looks from her 2007 debut Om Shanti Om and 2015's Piku.

Take a look at the video:

However, her attempt at recreating the actor's 'look' from Chhapaak, in which Deepika plays Malti, an acid attack survivor, was criticised on social media. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film is based on the life of acid attack survivor-activist Laxmi Agarwal and released on January 10.

Many called out the actor for trivialising the trauma of an acid attack survivor by categorising the part as a mere 'look' and even questioned her intention behind taking up the part. "So Acid Attacked Face' has now become a challenge now. This is the worst kind of promotion by @deepikapadukone. Shame on you," a user wrote on Twitter.

Another said, "Carrying scars is not "a look" you sick @deepikapadukone"

Another user said that the actor, who has been vocal about mental health issues, should have been more careful. "No @deepikapadukone. This promo isn't cool or cute. It's insensitive & ghastly. The movie wasn't about you & 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, alas," the person said.

"I'd kept silent about 'motives' when Deepika showed up to JNU because it did help give the cause some publicity but the TikTok video shows what Bollywood stars really are. There is no moral compass or political ideology. They wait and respond to things in a very calculated way," a user wrote.

One person posted, "The problem with Deepika Padukone endorsing a makeup challenge on Chhapak is that she treated it as one of her 'looks' and dismissed the entire trauma behind it. She proved that it was merely makeup for her & she clearly doesn't understand the depth of what survivors go through. (sic)"

Another person said the video was a "big mistake" on the actor's part. "Supporting students was a mistake or not, I don't know... but this TikTok video is a big mistake on Deepika's part. #Chaapak isn't just about a look of Malti..." read the post.

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