Actor Deepika Padukone has spoken out about the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai, calling attention to the city’s rising pollution levels and urging authorities to take immediate action. The actor took to social media to question the situation and tagged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and its health department, highlighting concerns about the impact of polluted air on citizens.
Sharing a screenshot of the city’s air quality map, Padukone expressed alarm over the conditions. “The citizens of this city and its children are choking! How is this okay?” she wrote, appealing directly to the civic authorities for urgent intervention.
Recent data indicates that Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has touched 159, placing it in the ‘unhealthy’ category, a level that can pose health risks, particularly for children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions.
Padukone is not the only voice from the entertainment industry raising concern. Actor Saiyami Kher shared a personal reflection on how the city’s changing air quality has affected her daily routine. Recalling her early days of running along Carter Road and enjoying the ocean breeze, she wrote that she now feels compelled to wear a mask while running outdoors. Comparing the experience to the pandemic era, she noted that while there may be no virus in the air, the pollution itself poses a serious threat to health.
Meanwhile, actor Richa Chadha described the situation as a “man-made tragedy,” stressing that worsening pollution levels are a consequence of human activity and require stronger policy and governance responses.
On the professional front, Deepika Padukone continues to remain active in cinema. Her last release before the birth of her daughter Dua in September 2024 was Singham Again, in which she appeared alongside her husband Ranveer Singh.
The actor is currently working on the action film King, headlined by Shah Rukh Khan and directed by Siddharth Anand. In addition, Padukone is also expected to collaborate on a separate film directed by Atlee alongside Allu Arjun.
While the actor continues to expand her film slate, her recent remarks underline a growing concern among public figures about environmental conditions in Mumbai — a conversation that is increasingly gaining traction both online and offline.