The rumour mills have been in overdrive, trying to conjure a romantic link where there might be nothing more than just goodwill and genuine friendship. But the much married Shahrukh Khan and the still single Priyanka Chopra don’t care a hoot for the wagging tongues.

At the Big Star Entertainment Awards, the two were spotted locked in an animated chat in full view of the onlookers and the paparazzi cameras. Clearly, there was not a scintilla of guilty conscience in either to make anyone believe that something hanky-panky is going on between them. Rather, what we spotted was amity. Yet, one can’t ignore the moony glance that Priyanka Chopra cast at Shahrukh Khan.

The two were -- and still are -- in the thick of rumours in 2012 for their growing closeness that was allegedly not approved by Gauri Khan and her close buddies. The spat spilled out in the open when Karan Johar also entered the fray and tweeted unceremonious posts about PeeCee.

Just days back, it was reported that Shahrukh Khan was working “like a man possessed” to rope in Priyanka Chopra as his ladylove in Farah Khan’s film Happy New Year. The report has been scotched by SRK, Farah and Priyanka.