Mumbai: Actresses Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone recently appeared on Karan Johar’s talk show, “Koffee With Karan,” where they responded to a question regarding a supposed “lesbian encounter” between them.

During the show, Karan Johar asked the two actresses about a “rumour” that had been circulating for years, which suggested that they had a lesbian relationship. The question sparked immediate laughter from both actresses, who denied the rumour and claimed that they were just friends.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas said, “We were not [in a relationship], but we just laughed it off. It’s not true.” Deepika Padukone added, “Yeah, we just laughed it off. We’ve been friends for so long.”

Karan Johar apologized for the question, stating that it was not intended to be offensive or disrespectful. He explained that he asked the question because he had heard the rumour multiple times and wanted to clear the air.

This isn’t the first time that Karan Johar’s show has been at the centre of controversy. In 2019, he was criticized for promoting nepotism in Bollywood after actor Kangana Ranaut called him out on the show for giving opportunities to star kids instead of promoting talented outsiders.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone are two of Bollywood’s biggest stars and have worked together in films such as “Bajirao Mastani” and “Gunday.” They both have successful careers in India and abroad and are known for breaking barriers in the industry.