New Delhi, June 13 -- Kangana Ranaut has called Deepika Padukone irreplaceable, describing her as one of those rare performers whose presence in Hindi cinema cannot be duplicated by any successor. In an interview published on June 12, Kangana placed Deepika alongside legends including Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Waheeda Rehman, Hema Malini and Madhuri Dixit, arguing that each generation of Indian cinema produces faces that belong only to their era.

"Madhuri Dixit dusri nahi hogi. Yeh meri hi baat nahi hai. Mujhe lagta hai dusri Deepika Padukone bhi nahi hogi."

The remarks are striking because Kangana and Deepika have spent the better part of a decade defined by their public rivalry. From pointed comments about awards and box-office compari...