Deepika Padukone’s old Cannes appearance has returned to the spotlight amid the controversy over Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Diwali jewellery. Social media users are revisiting the necklace Deepika wore at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, which featured an Arabic inscription meaning ‘In the safety of Allah’.
According to NDTV, Kareena recently faced a legal notice over a 30-carat emerald pendant engraved with Ayat-ul-Kursi, a verse from the Holy Quran. The notice, issued on November 11, also named her stylist Rhea Kapoor and sought the removal of the photographs and videos featuring the pendant, a public apology and an assurance that the inscription would receive due respect.
Deepika’s necklace dates back to her appearance at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in 2022, where she served as a jury member. She wore the statement piece by celebrated designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee as part of her look for the festival.
Named the Lucknow Rose, the necklace is a deconstructed Maharani design featuring multicoloured gemstones and uncut diamonds. It formed part of Sabyasachi’s ‘Tropic of Calcutta’ collection, a global resort series that brought Indian heritage into contemporary fashion.
One of the stones in the elaborate necklace carried the Arabic inscription ‘Fi Aman Allah’, which translates to ‘In the safety of Allah’. Deepika paired the jewellery with a printed Mysore silk shirt, green pleated trousers and a matching silk headband.
Although the necklace drew attention during Cannes in 2022, photographs of the look are now circulating again as the debate over religious inscriptions in fashion gathers momentum following Kareena’s appearance.
Kareena’s Diwali look featured a silver gota patti kaftan and a matching beige turban by designer Punit Balana. She completed the ensemble with the antique emerald pendant, which Rhea Kapoor described as an heirloom from the erstwhile royal family of Bhopal.
The pendant reportedly belonged to the Begum of Bhopal and passed down through Saif Ali Khan’s family. Saif’s paternal grandmother, Sajida Sultan, was the daughter of Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal. Kareena gained access to the Pataudi family’s royal collection after marrying Saif.
Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Abbas Hafeez sent the legal notice to Kareena and Rhea through his lawyer. He clarified that he had acted in his personal capacity as a member of the Muslim community, not on behalf of the Congress party.
The notice objected to the presentation of a Quranic verse as part of a fashion accessory, arguing that it hurt religious sentiments. It also called for the removal of the related social media posts and a public apology.
Meanwhile, Hindu Utsav Samiti and Sanskriti Bachao Manch reportedly came out in support of Kareena. Hindu Utsav Samiti president Chandra Shekhar Tiwari rejected the demand for an apology.
As reported by The Indian Express and Brut India, Kareena and Rhea have yet to issue an official response. Their Diwali photographs continue to fuel online discussion, while Deepika’s Cannes necklace has found renewed attention.