DUBAI: Actress Deepika Padukone made headlines last week when she became the second Bollywood star to take part in Vogue magazine’s now-famous “73 Questions With…” series — and she even gave a shout out to a Lebanon-based fashion label.
Padukone was asked, “What’s the most extravagant thing you’ve ever worn?” and she didn’t skip a beat before replying, “I’d say the pink Ashi Studio gown I wore to Cannes in 2018.”
The dress — designed by Ashi Studio’s Saudi-born founder, Mohammed Ashi — was certainly one to remember.
The statuesque star wore the magenta Ashi Studio gown on the red carpet before a screening of the film “Ash is Purest White (Jiang hu er nv)” at the 71st edition of the festival.
Padukone could not stop smiling, giggling and apparently enjoying herself in the larger-than-life dress. Her face was framed by huge pink ruffles, while the train of the voluminous, tiered skirt seemed almost never ending — she took special care as she strode up the famous steps at the film festival, taking the hand of a lucky usher who was presumably more than happy to help.
The dress by the Beirut-based label became even more famous when singer Beyoncé wore it for a concert in Johannesburg that honored the life of Nelson Mandela in early December.
Padukone is just the second Indian celebrity to feature in the hit video series by American Vogue. She was asked questions at The Greenwich Hotel in New York and spared no detail in telling fans about her life and career.
Padukone spoke about her work and said that her 2018 film “Padmaavat” was one of the most challenging experiences of her career, presumably due to the months of protests that led up to its release.
The film sparked anger in India, after groups critical of the project accused its director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, of distorting history by portraying a Muslim ruler as the “lover” of Queen Padmavati of the Hindu Rajput warrior clan.
Further along in the interview, Padukone revealed that she can speak six languages and was born in Denmark and ended the chat by showing off her dance moves in a style she jokingly called “Blossing” — a mash-up of Bollywood dance steps and flossing, the dance craze that swept the internet in 2017.
Watch the interview here:
