Deepika Padukone’s portrayal of Shakti Shetty, aka Lady Singham, in Rohit Shetty’s upcoming film Singham Again has not struck the right chord with fans. Despite her recent success with blockbusters like Pathaan, Jawan, and Kalki 2898 AD, the internet seems unimpressed with her latest turn, judging by reactions to the trailer, which was released on Monday.
Deepika Faces Backlash for Her Role in Singham Again
In the film, Deepika dons a khaki uniform and sunglasses, taking on the role of a cop alongside male counterparts like Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh, and Tiger Shroff. However, the internet has not taken kindly to her portrayal of Shakti Shetty, with many criticizing her Marathi accent and performance. A user on X (formerly Twitter) shared a clip of Deepika’s part in the trailer, writing, “naah (crying emojis) what is wrong with her.” Another comment compared her acting unfavorably to that of her co-stars, stating, “Never thought after seeing Arjun Kapoor and Tiger (Shroff) in the cast, someone could act worse than him. But congratulations, Deepika.”
Fans Point to Lingering Issues with Her Acting
Some critics even referenced an old interview with filmmaker Farah Khan, who launched Deepika in Om Shanti Om (2007). In the interview, Farah mentioned Deepika’s struggles with diction at the time. A tweet juxtaposed this with her current performance, lamenting, “It’s been 17 years! And she hasn’t improved a bit. The greatest trick Deepika Padukone has ever pulled was convincing a bunch of teenagers that she is a good actress.”
Others took a more light-hearted approach, comparing her look in Singham Again to that of Nayanthara in Jawan. A meme on Reddit referred to Deepika’s poster as “What you get” compared to Nayanthara’s “What you order online.” Another user criticized her accent in the trailer, writing, “It’s the forced ‘Tapori’ accent she is trying to pull. Heyy bhagwan (Oh God). It’s not working.”
Singham Again Ensemble Cast
Singham Again is set to release on November 1, 2024, just in time for Diwali. The film stars a massive ensemble cast, including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, Arjun Kapoor, and Akshay Kumar, alongside Deepika Padukone. Notably, Deepika’s husband, Ranveer Singh, will reprise his role as Simmba, while Deepika’s role as Shakti Shetty will mark her first film appearance since becoming a mother to a baby girl last month.
Despite the strong ensemble cast, Deepika’s performance has become a focal point of online discussion, with many questioning whether her role in Singham Again will match the critical acclaim she has received in her previous films. Whether the internet’s harsh reception will impact the film’s success remains to be seen.