Dhruv Rathee Triggers Outrage After Mentioning Deepika Padukone In Skin Lightening Video

Content creator and political commentator Dhruv Rathee has once again sparked controversy, this time by naming actor Deepika Padukone in a video discussing cosmetic skin lightening in Bollywood. The remarks have triggered strong reactions online, with social media users accusing Rathee of unfairly singling out the actor and dragging her into a wider debate.

The criticism comes shortly after Rathee’s earlier remarks against Ranveer Singh’s film Dhurandhar, making the latest comments even more contentious among fans.

What Dhruv Rathee Said in His Video

In his YouTube video titled The FAKE Beauty of Bollywood Celebrities, Dhruv Rathee spoke about alleged skin lightening practices within the film industry. He listed several well-known actresses, including Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone, Shilpa Shetty, Kajol and Priyanka Chopra, claiming they had undergone skin lightening treatments.

“Ek badi lambi list hai yahan par actresses ki jinka career ke shuruwat mein rang thodha dark dhikai deta tha lekin aajkal kafi light dikhai deta hai... Jab inse pucha jaata hai ke aisa kaise hogaya yeh bolti hai ke phele yeh dhoop mein zyada rehti thi ab nahi rehti isliye dheere dheere inka rang saaf hua hai... By the way, inmein se kuch actresses skin whitening cream ki ad karti hai... Fair skin ka raaz na toh koi cream hai na koi dhoop se bachna, reality hai glutathione injections jo skin lightening ka popular tareeka hai ,” he said in the video.

Youtuber Dhruv Rathee in his latest video blames Deepika for skin lightening treatment
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Social Media Defends Deepika Padukone

Soon after the video surfaced on Reddit and other platforms, fans of Deepika Padukone stepped in to counter the claims. Many argued that changes in lighting, makeup trends, camera quality and professional styling could explain perceived differences in appearance over the years.

“The lighting helps and editing also happens in Final Cut . I don’t think she got any treatments,” one user commented. Another wrote, “First of all I do think the left side era Deepika was into bronzer and tanning… Barely medium skin tone.”

Others pointed out that skin tone can naturally change due to sun exposure, skincare and lifestyle. “According to me its just lighting and better camera picture quality. She is not fairer than before,” read one comment, while another said, “women can do whatever they want.”

Context: Earlier Dhurandhar Controversy

The backlash also draws from Dhruv Rathee’s earlier criticism of Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna. In a previous video titled Reality of Dhurandhar, Rathee called the film propaganda-driven and stated, “Well-made propaganda is more dangerous.” His remarks had already angered fans of the actor.

With the latest video, several users accused Rathee of repeatedly targeting individuals associated with the film. “From criticizing a good film to criticizing a good actress. How much hateful is this?” one user questioned.