Deepika Padukone Subramanian Swamy
Deepika Padukone and Subramanian SwamyTwitter

Deepika Padukone's recent comments on the ongoing controversy over Padmavati irked BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who slammed the actress for giving a "lecture on regression".

"Cine actress Deepika Padukone giving us lecture on regression! Nation can progress only when it is regression from her perspective," Swamy said on Twitter.

Swamy's tweet was followed by Deepika Padukone's statement about the hullabaloo the movie is creating pre-release.

"It's appalling, it's absolutely appalling. What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation? We have regressed," she told IANS.

"The only people we are answerable to is the censor board, and I know and I believe that nothing can stop the release of this film," said Deepika, adding that the film industry's support symbolises how "this is not about 'Padmavati'... We're fighting a much bigger battle".

However, netizens votes remained divided between Deepika's statements and Swamy's counter comment on the ongoing debate.

One Twitter user slammed Deepika for her comments and wrote, "Most of them can do anything for money. I don't think many of them read the facts and research on historical characters before acting as them. They see the amount. And people are following the dialogues they delivered (sic)."

While another user tweeted in her favour and said, "Acting does not mean that actor is impersonating actual character in real life. He is an actor if he understands the history he can deliver his best (sic)."

Some netizens also slammed Swamy for getting into this thankless debate and requested him to let the censor board decide the fate of the movie. While others came out in support of the Rajya Sabha MP saying these Bollywood hypocrites don't have the guts to trespass into any other religion, but they will defame only Hinduism in the name of a film.

However, Twitterati trained their guns at Swamy when a user wrote to him that "she is a Dutch citizen" and Swamy commented: "If true, she must disclose why. This is purely an Indian only debate."

Netizens started defending Deepika saying it doesn't matter where she was born since she holds an Indian passport and has also voted in elections.

One user wrote, "If she is a Dutch citizen then you are a hate mongering man with no knowledge of facts."

"Deepika is an Indian citizen & her father played for India. She was born in Denmark and with her family came back to India as a child. She owns an Indian passport only & even voted for elections as a citizen see pics of her casting vote in Indian election," another user wrote.

Who do you think is right? Deepika Padukone or Subramanian Swamy? Do let us know in the comments.