Giva, the Indian jewellery brand, pulled its newly launched Raksha Bandhan advertisement after a wave of criticism over the outfit worn by Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon.
The ad showcased Sanon tying a Rakhi thread to her brother; she was clad in a cropped top, a skirt and a cape that many viewers found too revealing for a religious festival.
The controversy was ignited when BJP MP Kangana Ranaut called the ad “intentionally creepy” and implied that tying a Rakhi while wearing a bikini or underwear was unacceptable. She did not name Sanon directly but the comments were interpreted as referring to the actress.
Sanon defended herself in an Instagram story, saying that culture and tradition live in people’s hearts, not in their clothing choices, and that the ad’s intention was to evoke emotion rather than set a fashion standard.
Support for Sanon came from several corners, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who argued that women have the right to decide what they wear, and others who criticized Ranaut for moral policing.
Despite the debate, Giva issued a statement on Instagram saying: “We have the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals. As a brand, we have always believed in celebrating these joyous moments with the entire family and this time we wanted to extend the love and celebration to our pets.” The company added that it was withdrawing the ad “out of respect” if it had inadvertently hurt any sentiments.
Giva’s decision follows earlier withdrawals by Indian brands, such as Tanishq, which pulled an interfaith couple ad in 2020 after social media backlash.
India’s social media landscape is frequently fraught with debates over women’s attire, from controversy over ripped jeans to incidents where students were forced to cover shorts in exams. These controversies underscore a broader debate about autonomy and societal expectations on women’s fashion in India.
