An Indian jewellery brand withdrew an advertisement about Raksha Bandhan featuring actor Kriti Sanon after it received backlash for the outfit she had worn in it.The brand, Giva, had released the advertisement for the upcoming Hindu festival during which women tie threads, known as rakhis, around their brothers’ wrists. The outfit worn by Sanon was criticised by some social media users, who called it inappropriate for a religious occasion and said that it showed a lack of sensitivity towards the festival.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP and actor Kangana Ranaut also criticised the advertisement, saying that it looked “intentionally creepy”.“Why would you tie your brother a rakhi in your bikini/under garments? Where are all your styling options?” she said.In a statement released on Wednesday, Giva said that it had “highest regard and deep respect” for Indian culture, traditions and festivals. “If our recent advertisement has inadvertently hurt the sentiments of some segments of society, that was not our intent at all,” the brand said.The brand said it had withdrawn the advertisement from all media platforms “out of respect”.Kriti Sanon's Instagram story on Tuesday.Before the advertisement was withdrawn, Sanon had said on Tuesday that culture and traditions are in a woman’s heart, and not in her neckline.“The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions,” she wrote on Instagram.Sanon also questioned why women continue to be told what to wear, saying that ethnic fashion had evolved over the years but women’s respect for their culture was still judged by their clothing.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared Sanon’s comments and said that what a woman wears, what she does and where she goes is her choice. “Stop trolling women for exercising their freedom. #SmashThePatriarchy”, he wrote on social media.Written by Anamika Pathak. Edited by Nachiket Deuskar.
