Bollywood’s rumour mill was recently in overdrive following filmmaker Farah Khan’s comment regarding Deepika Padukone’s reported 8-hour shift demand, a topic gaining traction after the actress’s highly-publicised exits from major projects. The fire was further stoked by circulating speculation that the mentor-protégée duo had unfollowed each other on social media, hinting at a professional and personal rift.
However, Farah Khan has decisively put the controversy to rest. The director-choreographer, who launched Padukone’s career, clarified that her remark—made in a light-hearted vlog—was not aimed at the actress but was a joke directed at her cook, Dilip, to encourage him to work longer. Furthermore, she dispelled the ‘unfollow’ rumours, revealing that she and Padukone, along with Ranveer Singh, had a standing pact from their Happy New Year days to communicate privately via calls and messages rather than on public platforms like Instagram. Farah also shared she was among the first visitors when Padukone welcomed her daughter, Dua, reinforcing their strong personal bond.
In a brief but telling response, Deepika Padukone offered her assent to Farah’s statement, commenting simply “Amen” with a folded hands emoji on the news article detailing the clarification. This concise reaction firmly dismisses the talk of any friction, suggesting a shared frustration with the media tendency to inflate casual remarks into baseless controversies. The exchange reaffirms that the genuine camaraderie between the two industry stalwarts remains unshaken, proving that sometimes, a joke is indeed just a joke.