A controversy over sartorial freedom and cultural sensitivity has erupted in India after a major jewellery brand withdrew its Rakshabandhan festival advertisement, triggering a fierce national debate over women’s autonomy over their clothing choices. The pulled campaign for domestic jewellery brand Giva centered on popular Bollywood star Kriti Sanon, who was featured marking the traditional Hindu festival — where sisters tie a sacred rakhi thread around their brothers’ wrists to symbolize mutual protection and affection. The backlash against the ad focused on two points of criticism: Sanon’s modern cropped top and draped skirt ensemble, and a separate scene that showed her tying a rakhi to her pet dog.
The controversy ignited early this week when actor and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut publicly condemned the spot, describing it as “intentionally creepy” and questioning why a woman would tie a rakhi in what she framed as bikini-adjacent undergarments. Though Ranaut did not name Sanon directly, her social media post left no ambiguity about the target of her criticism. “It is a wonderful time to be a woman, our closets are full of a variety of clothes… From all the options that are available to us today why would you tie your brother a Rakhi in your bikini/under garments? Where are all your styling options?” Ranaut wrote.
Ranaut’s remarks quickly went viral, drawing both agreement and fierce pushback across Indian social media. Conservative social media users echoed her criticism, arguing that Sanon’s outfit was inappropriate for a sacred traditional festival. One commentator referred to Sanon’s top as a bralette, writing on X that “there is a clear line between modern styling and basic sensitivity towards Hindu festivals,” adding that pairing the garment with a Rakshabandhan campaign felt “completely out of touch and unnecessary.” Critics also raised objections to the scene of Sanon tying a rakhi to her pet, arguing it diluted the festival’s focus on sibling bonds.
But Sanon quickly hit back at her critics, issuing a defiant defense of her choices that quickly won widespread support from advocates of women’s rights. In an Instagram story posted Tuesday night, the actor called out the pervasive cultural mindset that judges women’s respect for tradition solely based on their clothing. “The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions… When will we stop telling women what to wear?? Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but still a woman’s respect for her culture is measured with just her clothes!! Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!” Sanon wrote.
Addressing the controversy over tying a rakhi to her pet, Sanon added that the core spirit of Rakshabandhan is protecting all loved ones, a category that extends to furry family members for many modern people. Sanon’s stance received high-profile backing, including from opposition Congress party MP Rahul Gandhi, who affirmed that a woman’s clothing choice is entirely her own. Other critics hit back at Ranaut for what they called moral policing, also pointing out that Ranaut frequently wore short and Western-style outfits throughout her early acting career, shifting to more conservative clothing only after entering politics.
Despite Sanon’s spirited defense, Giva announced Wednesday that it would withdraw the advertisement from all media platforms. In a public statement posted to Instagram, the brand emphasized its longstanding respect for Indian culture and traditions, noting that it had intended to expand the spirit of Rakshabandhan celebration to include pets as beloved family members. “If our recent advertisement has inadvertently hurt the sentiments of some segments of society, that was not our intent at all. Out of respect, we have withdrawn the advertisement from all media,” the brand added.
The incident is far from unprecedented for Indian brands: in 2020, leading jewellery brand Tanishq pulled an advertisement featuring an interfaith couple after facing widespread backlash from right-wing social media groups. The current controversy also reflects a years-long pattern of charged national debates over women’s clothing in India. In 2021, a 19-year-old student was forced to wrap a curtain around her legs to sit an exam after a teacher objected to her wearing shorts, sparking national outrage. Later that same year, thousands of women shared photos of themselves in ripped jeans on social media after the chief minister of the northern state of Uttarakhand publicly shamed a woman for wearing the garment. Last year, a beauty pageant contestant won national praise after pushing back against a group of men who bullied contestants for wearing skirts and Western dresses.
Indian jewellery ad pulled after backlash over actor’s outfit
