Deepika Padukone, the reigning queen of Bollywood, has started preparing for her next film Chhapaak, two weeks before it begins production. The actress was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Padmaavat (2018), co-starring Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor.
Apart from playing the female lead, the Bajirao Mastani (2015) actress is also co-producing Chhapaak in association with Fox Star Studios. Ace filmmaker Meghna Gulzar, who last helmed the Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal starrer Raazi (2018), is calling the shots.
The movie is based on a real-life story and stars Deepika Padukone as acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal. The actress heads off to Delhi to prepare for her role. The film is set to start rolling by March-end.
“Deepika, who met Laxmi in Delhi a few years ago, is putting eight hours into her prep daily. Besides readings with Meghna, she is referencing pictures and videos of Laxmi. The team has also put together data for 10 other acid attack survivors to understand the subject better,” a well-placed source informs.
We wish the actress loads of luck for her maiden production venture.
The singer jokingly texted Clairo saying, "Let's f**k her up," sparking an online frenzy
Why Charli XCX jokingly declared war on Peppa Pig after one viral comment
Highlights
What started as a playful celebrity game has turned into one of the internet's most unexpected viral moments, with Charli XCX jokingly threatening to "f**k up" Peppa Pig after the beloved cartoon character appeared to dismiss singer Clairo.
The exchange quickly spread across social media, drawing reactions from fans and fellow musicians, while turning an unlikely clash between a pop star and a fictional children's character into a trending talking point.
Peppa Pig's viral remark sparked the joke
The playful exchange began during Peppa Pig's appearance in Pitchfork's Over/Under game, where the animated character rated a selection of music artists.
While expressing admiration for acts including PinkPantheress and The Beatles, Peppa responded to Clairo by saying, "I don't know her," a line widely recognised as a reference to Mariah Carey's famous response when asked about Jennifer Lopez.
The remark, accompanied by a knowing glance at the camera, quickly gained traction online.
Charli XCX rushed to Clairo's defence
After seeing the clip, Charli XCX privately messaged Clairo, writing, "Let's f**k her up," alongside a screenshot of the viral post.
Clairo later shared the exchange on social media, prompting thousands of reactions from fans, many of whom responded with pig and bacon-themed jokes.
PinkPantheress, whom Peppa had praised in the original video, also joined the conversation, posting a message supporting Clairo.
As the exchange continued, Clairo responded to the growing attention with humour, replying to posts before eventually telling followers, "ok that's enoughhhhh lolllllllllll."
Some fans joked that the viral moment was the perfect opportunity for the singer to announce new music, though Clairo replied that she did not have anything ready to share.
Her most recent album, Charm, was released in 2024, with its accompanying tour concluding in 2025.
Charli XCX keeps her focus on new music
While the online joke continued to gather momentum, Charli XCX did not publicly add to the exchange.
Instead, the singer has been focusing on promoting her upcoming album, Music, Fashion, Film, which is scheduled for release on July 24.
Although fans speculated that one of the track titles could be a playful nod to the viral exchange, there has been no indication that the album references the light-hearted social media moment.