Deepika Padukone at the centre of a social media storm...

Deepika Padukone is back at the centre of a social media storm with a tourism campaign for Abu Dhabi in which she is seen wearing a hijab as she walks through the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Deepika, who appears in the ad with her husband and fellow actor Ranveer Singh, is no stranger to controversy. She earlier attracted ire on social media for her appearance at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University during the anti-CAA protests and for sporting an orange bikini in the song Besharam Rang in Pathaan.

Padukone now joins her husband as the brand ambassador for Experience Abu Dhabi, the destination brand of the Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi. The campaign video, titled Mera Sukoon, shows the couple exploring Abu Dhabi and Ranveer introducing Deepika to some of his favourite spots in the city, including many cultural and architectural landmarks. In one sequence, the couple is at the Grand Mosque and Deepika is seen wearing a rust abaya and hijab.

In the vigorous debate that followed, some called the 39-year-old actor a ‘fake feminist’ for promoting conservative attire and others defended her decision and spoke up for her respect for Arab culture.

Those criticising her argued that her decision to wear a hijab is in stark contrast to her appearance at the 2015 My Choice video.

“Remember Deepika Padukone’s video My Choice? To wear a bindi or not, my choice’. ‘I decide the clothes I wear’. Now Deepika Padukone has made video promoting Abu Dhabi tourism wearing hijab. What happened to ‘My Choice’?” asked an X user. The other side was equally vociferous. One supporter shared, “This is Deepika Padukone when she has gone to temples. She has always been respectful toward the culture of India. In the tourism commercial, she is wearing what is appropriate for that culture.”