Deepika Padukone’s Indian accent vs Priyanka Chopra’s ‘fake’ accent: Why trolls need to calm down

With Deepika Padukone talking on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in her regular Indian accent, it was time yet again, for fans to take out their pitchforks and attack Priyanka Chopra’s ‘fake’ accent. Of course, kudos to Deepika for maintaining her accent, but Priyanka Chopra’s critics need to relax. Before this actress is tagged with labels like ‘sell-out’ and ‘fake’, let’s consider for a moment that by this logic, Chris Hemsworth is supposed to maintain his Australian accent in Thor and Avengers. We all loved Christian Bale in the Batman trilogy, but should he have spoken in his native Welsch accent for the role? Arguing that Bruce Wayne/Batman is a New Yorker doesn’t hold because Priyanka’s character in Quantico is a California native. Moreover, Christian Bale is famous for retaining the accent he takes up in a movie during promotions, so that it doesn’t confuse fans.

And while we’re on the topic of Batman, how would it sound if Heath Ledger had spoken the Joker’s iconic, “Why so serious?” in his native Australian accent? And let’s not even talk about British actors who drop their accents to meld into Hollywood. It’s ironic that Priyanka’s detractors, who want the actress to not ‘sell out her identity’ and stay true to her roots, practice the most colonial mindset of all – it’s okay when the firang guy drops his accent, but heaven forbid our desi girl does the same.

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And let’s not forget the heat Coldplay took for portraying a stereotypical view of India – we’re cosmopolitan, go to malls and are as ‘western’ as you, we argued. But apparently, PeeCee can’t be held to those same standards. Would trolls be more content if she acted like she’d walked out of that Coldplay video?