When she walked down the Met Gala red carpet on Monday with her husband Nick Jonas on her arm, all eyes were on Priyanka Chopra.

The actress, 42, looked delighted as she posed up a storm in a couture white polka dot Balmain number styled by the fashion house’s creative director Olivier Rousteing.

Many saw the heavily tailored look as a nod to dandyism and Old Hollywood. But some eagle eyed fans think it has a deeper – and much more scandalous – meaning. 

Bollywood lovers are now speculating the look is a reference to a previous gown she wore while to a promotional event for Tag Heuer watches in 2007.

Priyanka attended the event alongside ‘king of Bollywood’  Shah Rukh Khan – affectionately known as SRK –  following the release of their first film together Don.

While starring in the film, rumours swirled that the on-screen romance turned real – and the pair had an affair in real life. These have been denied by both parties.

Despite denials, rumours swirled the of a years-long affair between the couple  -which eventually saw Priyanka ‘blacklisted from Bollywood’, which prompted her move to LA.

‘I was being pushed into a corner in the industry. I had people not casting me for reasons… I had beef with people. I was tired of the politics. I was just like, ‘I need a break,’ Priyanka explained in 2023.

Amazingly, Khan walked the red carpet just minutes before Chopra, in a look that was also reminiscent of the alleged ‘couples’ first snap together.

‘SRK and Priyanka Chopra accidentally recreating their Don era look at the Met Gala: Polka dots, black suit, matching vibes… Coincidence? I think not!,’ one fan wrote on social media.  

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, was romantically linked to the married actor in 2011 – two years before she quit the industry for a fresh start in Hollywood. 

Shah Rukh, who married his childhood sweetheart Gauri Khan in 1991, publicly denied rumours of the affair but the pair were never cast opposite each other again.

Nearly 15 years later, both Shah Rukh and Priyanka, 42, attended the 2025 Met Gala – and fans couldn’t believe the ‘cinematic’ wardrobe coincidence that saw them recreate a famous 2006 look. 

This year’s theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, with renowned Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee dressing Shah Rukh in a maximalist, all-black ensemble in a nod to dandyism – and the actor’s global stature. 

Meanwhile, Priyanka, who attended with her husband Nick Jonas, picked a black-and-white polka-dotted skirt suit by Balmain and completed the look with a oversized black hat and gloves.

The outfit, fans said, bore a striking similarity to the floor-length, sleeveless dress that Priyanka wore at a promotional event  in 2007 – following the release of their first film together Don (‘mafia boss’ or ‘gangster’).  

Writing on Reddit, one eagle-eyed user noted: ‘SRK and Priyanka were definitely on theme for each other, is this some kind of code language that only they can understand. 

‘The way they are matching it, like this is so funny,’ they continued. 

The post quickly went viral, as it racked up over 3,800 likes and nearly 300 comments, with several users marvelling at this ‘blast from the past’. 

‘I can’t think of anything but his now,’ one person’s comment read. ‘What are they trying to say?’ 

While some suggested it was a ‘PR stunt’, others simply couldn’t look past the sartorial synchronicity.      

Charting a career unlike any of his contemporaries, ‘King Khan’ – as he is affectionately known – has appeared in over 100 films and earned numerous accolades, with millions of fans in countries around the world. 

His appearance at the Met Gala adds another feather to the 59-year-old’s cap, as SRK (recognised by his initialism) became the first Bollywood actor ever to walk the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday night. 

While no other leading man has previously attended the Met, several of his female co-stars – including Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai, and Alia Bhatt – have represented India in the past. 

‘I know they are both married now and all. But I lowkey feel sad for them,’ a sentimental message read. ‘It’s almost like they are star crossed lovers and this is their way of reaching out to each other showing that they still remember each other.’ 

Unfounded rumours of an alleged affair between Shah Rukh and Priyanka began circulating during the making of Don 2 – with the latter reprising her role as Roma, the actor’s on-screen love interest. 

The father-of-three, who is often praised for being a devoted husband to Gauri, publicly condemned the reports as ‘disrespectful’ to Priyanka in an interview around the same time. 

‘To me, what is most disturbing is the fact that a lady who’se worked with me has been questioned, and somewhere downthe line, she’s not being shown the kind of respect I show her or all women,’ he said. 

‘I think it’s a little disrespectful,’ the actor added. ‘I’m extremely sorry about that. 

‘Sorry means…it’s not directly because of anything I’ve done, but because she’s my friend. 

‘She’s one of the closest friends I have, very close to my heart, and always will be.’ 

Shortly after Don 2’s release, Priyanka decided to quit Bollywood and relocate to the United States to press reset on her career.

The mega star and producer became the first South Asian to headline an American network drama series after Priyanka scored the lead role of FBI agent Alex Parrish in ABC’s thriller Quantico in 2015. 

Priyanka, who married Jonas Brothers’ singer Nick in December 2015, addressed her departure from the Bollywood in a rare interview eight years later – as she alluded to a ‘beef’.

‘I was being pushed into a corner in the industry,’ she said during a 2023 appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast. 

She told hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman that the number of roles coming her way had declined, as she vaguely suggested directors and producers were ‘not casting me for reasons’. 

‘I had beef with people … I was tired of the politics and just like, “I need a break,”‘ Priyanka said, marking the first time she had commented on her decision top leave Bollywood. 

It comes as a body language expert has broken down the awkward tension between Priyanka and Nick at the Met Gala.

The couple, who have been married since 2018, walked the Met steps together at fashion’s biggest night out, but appeared to leave noticeable distance from one another as they posed in front of the cameras.

Judi James said their pose is veering away from ‘romantic’ and is getting ‘more real.’ 

 

‘They look more like two stars that are married rather than a “one unit” power couple here,’ James told DailyMail.com exclusively. 

‘Their poses look independent, less tactile and less flirtatious, maybe more grown-up,’ she continued.

James also added that Nick’s facial expressions at the gala weren’t exactly lovey-dovey towards his wife. 

‘Nick seems to have brought one facial expression with him here and it’s a rather fierce, serious look, aimed at the banks of cameras with no sign here smiling or gazing at his wife,’ James observed.

Observing something similar, one fan posted a picture of the couple holding hands but standing far away from each other in front of The Carlyle hotel on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of the event.

‘All that space… divorce soon come,’ they claimed.

In a video of the couple on the Met steps that was posted by Vogue, another user even pointed out in the comments section that they had ‘no chemistry.’ 

‘They don’t look happy but love to see them in public!!!!’ one person wrote.