Deepika Padukone responds to speculation over 'Dhurandhar' silence

Actor Deepika Padukone has responded to online backlash about her silence on husband Ranveer Singh's performance in the two-part spy saga "Dhurandhar".

Padukone broke her silence by responding to a comment on an Instagram reel that polled whether her absence from the film's success chatter was a snub to "Dhurandhar" director Aditya Dhar or simply an attempt to steer clear of the "internet's favourite drama".

"The latter, my friend. P.S. I watched it way before any of you did. Now, who is the joke on?" Padukone commented on the reel.

The reel, which featured visuals from the film, had raised questions about Padukone missing the film's screening last month and pointed out that she had attended a classical concert in Mumbai with her in-laws the following day.

Singh has garnered widespread acclaim for his performances in Dhar's "Dhurandhar" and its sequel "Dhurandhar: The Revenge", both of which have emerged as all-time box office blockbusters, earning over Rs 1,300 crore each.

Set in Lyari town of Karachi, an area known for its history of gang wars and violent turf battles, "Dhurandhar" revolved around covert intelligence operations against the backdrop of geopolitical and terror events like the Kandahar plane hijack, the 2001 Parliament Attack and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The sequel charts the rise of Singh's character Hamza Ali Mazari in the Karachi underworld while also delving into his origins as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, tracing the journey of the young man who eventually transforms into the covert operative.

The movie also stars Sara Arjun, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt and R Madhavan, among others.