GIVA Jewellery has withdrawn its Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Kriti Sanon after the campaign faced backlash over the actor’s outfit, writes Hindustan Times.
The advertisement, released on 20 July, showed Kriti celebrating Raksha Bandhan in an outfit that drew criticism from some viewers, with several accusing the campaign of being disrespectful to Indian culture and Hindu traditions.
On Wednesday, GIVA addressed the controversy in a statement on Instagram, saying it respected Indian traditions and festivals.
“We have the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals,” the brand said.
It added that the campaign was intended to celebrate the festival with families and extend that celebration to pets.
“If our recent advertisement has inadvertently hurt the sentiments of some segments of society, that was not our intent at all,” the statement added.
The jewellery brand said it had withdrawn the advertisement from all media “out of respect” and wished people “love & positivity” for the festive season.
It also disabled comments on the Instagram post announcing the decision.
The campaign attracted criticism from social media users who objected to Kriti’s outfit in the context of Raksha Bandhan.
Some accused the advertisement of making a mockery of Hindu traditions.
Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also criticised the campaign without directly naming Kriti.
She questioned why a woman would choose to wear a bikini while tying a rakhi when there are numerous other clothing options available.
She described the advertisement as “intentionally creepy” and questioned its portrayal of the festival.
Kriti responded to the criticism on Tuesday through a note shared on her Instagram Stories.
The actor argued that festivals should be defined by their emotional significance and traditions rather than clothing.
She highlighted Raksha Bandhan as a celebration of the bond of protection and said that she and her sister tie rakhi to each other, adding that their prayers and wishes also extend to their dogs because they consider them family.
Kriti also questioned the scrutiny faced by women over their clothing.
“Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear?” she wrote, arguing that a woman’s respect for her culture should not be judged by her clothes.
She concluded that culture and traditions are “in her heart, not in her neckline.”
