It's racist, ignorant: Deepika Padukone on being called Priyanka

NEW DELHI: Actress Deepika Padukone, who has been mistaken for Priyanka Chopra by the foreign media in the US multiple times, says it's racist and ignorant for people to assume that people with similar skin tones are the same. A video doing the rounds on social media shows a foreign paparazzo constantly referring to Deepika as "Priyanka, Priyanka" while she makes her way out of an airport in the US. Deepika, who made her Hollywood debut with the Vin Diesel starrer "xXx: Return of Xander Cage" earlier this year, has strong views about facing this 'identity crisis' and about how the Indian media needs to deal with it maturely.                                        PC: Instagram In a telephonic interview, the actress said: "To me it's racist and ignorant. And as a fellow Indian, you (the media) should also be not very happy about. I think just because people have similar skin tones, doesn't mean they are same people. "As people in a place of power that the media has, instead of creating a tabloid piece of out it, people should be educating them further." Just back from attending the famed fashion fiesta Met Gala 2017 in New York, Deepika is now looking forward to visit the French Riviera. She will attend the prestigious Cannes Film Festival on May 17-18 as a brand ambassador for cosmetic giant L'Oreal Paris.                             PC: Instagram "I am very very excited. I am looking forward to the entire experience of being there and taking it all in," said the actress, who had last attended the fest in 2010 for another brand. "I would happily forget that experience maybe, and start afresh," quipped Deepika, who doesn't wish to reveal her two looks for the Cannes red carpet appearance just as yet. Earlier this week, she stepped out in a white Tommy Hilfiger gown for the Met Gala in a look which didn't find much appreciation by the international foreign police. But Deepika is not bothered -- she says being on the red carpet is all about having fun.                      PC: Instagram "I've had an amazing team of people that help me put my look together, and sometimes people might like it, sometimes they may not. And that's completely okay. The idea is really to have fun with every experience that I've had and I think the only time I will worry about not being appreciated about my look, is when my mother or my girlfriends tell me so," said the 31-year-old.