Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali issued a statement after his remarks on Deepika Padukone’s casting in Cocktail invited criticism. During an interview for his upcoming film, Main Vaapas Aaunga, he spoke about the casting choices for Cocktail and revealed that Deepika was initially approached for Diana Penty’s role. However, it was Imtiaz who advised her to take the role of Veronica, a free-spirited, bold woman.
He reshared a clip of the interview on Instagram’s story section and wrote, “My dearest and loveliest @deepikapadukone, you are my pal, my buddy, my safe option for humour, I think you will never misunderstand my wannabe fun remarks because you, more than anyone else, know how much I love you, appreciate you… but I have been told you might misunderstand and be hurt, so I am telling you, please don’t.”
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He continued, “To be mean to you iss janam mein toh possible nahi hai (is not possible at all in this lifetime)… I never thought I would write such a disclaimer to you, but it’s been a while and I didn’t want to take a chance. Wish you the best and love always.”
Read his full statement here:
What Did Imtiaz Ali Say in His Interview?
The filmmaker explained why he suggested Deepika’s name for Veronica’s character and explained that the actress carried a ‘good girl’ image at that time and the role like that would have been something new for her.
He told News18 Showsha, “Since I had been in the room and attended parties with her, I know how crazy and wild she can be. Now people have seen through the facade. So I thought it would be quite a new thing for Deepika to do. I knew that emotional ground existed, so that was exciting.”
While the filmmaker wanted to praise Deepika through his answer, the use of the word ‘facade’ did not sit well with the actress’ fans. Netizens looked at it as a jibe at the actress.
Imtiaz Ali and Deepika Padukone worked together in three films – Love Aaj Kal, Cocktail and Tamasha. The filmmaker is currently awaiting the release of his film Main Vaapas Aaunga. It stars Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari and Vedang Raina among others and will be released theatrically on June 12.
Deepika Padukone, on the other hand, will be seen in King with Shah Rukh Khan.
Also Read:Â Fact Check: Did Deepika Padukone Attend The Pre-Met Gala 2026 Dinner in New York?
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