Bollywood star couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s trip down memory lane on the opening episode of Koffee With Karan, Season 8, was a lesson in the messy, tangled loops of modern dating from open relationships to situationships.
It had a bit of everything—a ‘nice guy’ who cannot differentiate between his memory of his ex and current partner, the dance of who to commit to, and a single person third wheeling, and longing for a partner of his own. A video of their lavish wedding in Lake Como, where the Clooneys (George and Amal) live, was the icing on this multi-tiered cake.
But sharp fans zoomed in on one thing—Singh’s recycling of dating and relationship stories. He went through the same motions, first with his rumoured ex Anushka Sharma (she’s consistently denied the relationship) and later again with Padukone.
There were heavy doors opening, and gusts of wind from the sea, as Padukone walked in wearing a white chikankari, her hair blowing like she was in a shampoo commercial.
“I was like Oh My God!” recalled an enraptured Singh. But what he forgot was that he used the same imagery when describing his meeting with Sharma, on the same couch for the 2011 edition of Koffee With Karan.
Don’t worry Ranveer. Your fans won’t let you forget it.
These celebs r no less than jokers. People get mesmerized by their fancy weddings but their life is full of hollowness😐#KoffeeWithKaran #RanveerSingh #DeepikaPadukone pic.twitter.com/Mxm2F5ikAd
— Ambitious Jiya (@Schoolofopinion) October 26, 2023
Social media went into overdrive with memes and clips comparing the two interviews. The only difference was that Singh was clean-shaven and less chiselled ten years ago.
It won the race for the internet’s attention.
Also Read: Koffee With Karan finale saves a boring season. Power has moved from Bollywood to influencers
The Singh image
Singh is seen as ‘unscripted’, someone who speaks his mind and wears his sleeve on his heart. The facade was shattered when the details of his meet cute with two of his partners were compared. Is Padukone really ‘special’ or that is simply how Singh’s dating ‘game’ operates?
He has always had the image of ‘best partner’. From award shows to social media PDA, Singh has been a constant cheerleader for his wife.
Women in India wish for a partner like him, and social media is full of ‘Do not marry if he does not pull a Ranveer Singh’ template memes. Singh has dedicated his Best Actor (Critics) for Padmavat (2018) win to Padukone. And it wasn’t the only time. Last year, he pulled Padukone on stage when he won the Filmfare Best Actor award for 83.
Singh has often been seen as the ‘better’ one when compared to Padukone’s ex—Ranbir Kapoor. He has been called toxic, controlling and a man child for a variety of reasons, the latest bout came after a Vogue Beauty Secrets video of Alia Bhatt went viral. She spoke about how Kapoor asks her to “wipe off” her lipstick because he doesn’t like it on her.
No one anticipated it would take just one episode of Koffee With Karan, that too one focused on their love, to turn Singh’s image as a ‘wife guy’ on its head.
The carefully curated PR image had unravelled in a single instant, he’s now a red flag.
Also Read: Samantha Prabhu just did a Kangana Ranaut on Koffee with Karan couch. And she’s not wrong
Shaming of modern dating
Singh’s image is not the only one that was overturned in the eventful first episode. Padukone talking about seeing other men, while also seeing Singh, has turned her from a heartthrob to the scorn of Indian men.
Always knew #DeepikaPadukone is the biggest Red Flag 🚩
She has always used men like tissue paper in her career.
Used Yuvraj Singh
Used #RanbirKapoor
Used Sid Mallya
Now she’s using #RanveerSinghpic.twitter.com/AwjvoaA5CS
— Tha7a Fan (@ExposeTha7a) October 26, 2023
“I wanted to be single for a while because I had come from difficult relationships. I was going through a phase where I said ‘I just don’t want to be attached, don’t want to be committed’,” Padukone had said. Despite the two involved in the actual relationship having no qualms about it, people have been feeling ‘betrayed’. Videos titled ‘Deepika Padukone is toxic’ are racking up views.
An old Koffee With Karan video has come back to haunt her as well. “I don’t know how to casually date,” Padukone said in the clip from 2013. While people’s views on dating and love are ever-evolving, fans were quick to point out the timeline. She was, by her admission in the latest episode, seeing people casually from 2012.
Deepika Padukone in 2013 saying she doesn't know how to casually date people while casually dating Ranveer Singh!
Their PR team forgot to cover up their track of lies ..what a literal embarrassment! 😂😂#KoffeeWithKaran #KoffeeWithKaran8 #DeepikaPadukone pic.twitter.com/Hd6YA5Hm2o— Sharry (@Dafahojayooo) October 26, 2023
The golden couple of Bollywood is in their worst PR nightmare. The only winner of the episode was Karan Johar. Him shedding a tear at his single-ness and his vulnerability when speaking about a panic attack at the NMACC opening resonated with the audience. It humanised the man who has been constantly attacked for symbolising everything wrong with Bollywood. It just goes to show that public opinion changes in the blink of an eye.
Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)