'Citizens choking': Deepika Padukone reacts to Mumbai's poor air quality
What's the story
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone has raised serious concerns over the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai. On Thursday, the actor took to Instagram Stories to share a screenshot of the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) map, showing alarming pollution levels across several parts of the metropolitan region. "The citizens of this city and its children are choking! How is this okay!?" she wrote.
Urgent action needed
Actor tags civic authorities in her post
In her post, Padukone tagged the city's civic authorities, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and its health department, urging them to take immediate action to safeguard public health. Mumbai's AQI was recorded at 159, which falls under the 'unhealthy' air quality category. The actor's concern comes as several parts of Mumbai woke up to a thick layer of smog on Thursday, reducing visibility across the city.
Celebrity voices
Other actors also spoke up about this issue
Before Padukone, actors Saiyami Kher and Richa Chadha had also expressed their worries over Mumbai's deteriorating air quality. Kher wrote on Instagram, "I started running a decade ago. Every morning, I'd find myself on Carter Road, chasing the ocean breeze." "(Now) The air itself could kill us," she added. Meanwhile, Chadha called the poor AQI a "manmade tragedy" and lamented the absence of prominent voices speaking up about this issue.
Professional front
Meanwhile, on the work front for Padukone
Meanwhile, Padukone is gearing up for her next film King, directed by Siddharth Anand. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan in the lead, along with Suhana Khan, among others. She also has Atlee's AA22 A6 in the pipeline, a sci-fi actioner starring Allu Arjun, which is currently under production and expected to release in 2027.