An Indian jewellery brand has removed their new advertisement for the upcoming festival of Rakshabandhan, also known as Rakhi, after backlash over the outfit worn by the female lead. The ad featured popular Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon celebrating the Hindu festival in which sisters tie a thread called Rakhi over their brothers' wrists. Sanon, who is seen in a cropped top, skirt and a cape, addressed her critics on Tuesday night saying "culture and traditions are in a woman's heart, not in her neckline!" The row started earlier on Tuesday after actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut called the ad "intentionally creepy" and asked why someone would tie a Rakhi dressed in a bikini.
In her comments posted on social media, Ranaut did not name Sanon, but appeared to be referring to the actor. "It is a wonderful time to be a woman, our closets are full of 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? The advert looks intentionally creepy," she wrote. Her remarks quickly drew attention online, with some users echoing her criticism of Sanon's outfit saying it was too revealing and inappropriate for a traditional festival.
One commentator described her top as a bralette, saying there was a "clear line between modern styling and basic sensitivity towards Hindu festivals". "Pairing a bralette outfit with a sacred occasion like Rakshabandhan felt completely out of touch and unnecessary," she posted on X. Others objected to a scene in the advertisement in which the actor also ties a rakhi on her pet dog.
But Sanon also received support, including from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who defended her, saying what a woman chose to wear was her own decision. Others accused Ranaut of moral policing. Some also pointed out that though Ranaut has been more conservative in her clothing in recent years after becoming a politician, she herself often wore short dresses and Western outfits in her films and at social gatherings.
Sanon responded to the critics in an Instagram story, calling out the mindset that questioned women for their sartorial choices. Like Ranaut, she did not name anyone directly. "The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions...
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