Kangana Ranaut has once again addressed the controversy over Kriti Sanon‘s Raksha Bandhan ad for jewellery brand GIVA. While her initial criticism centred on Kriti’s outfit, the BJP MP has now clarified that the bralette was only a small part of her objection. She said her bigger concern was how the festival was portrayed, arguing that the ad did not capture the traditional elements she believes are central to Raksha Bandhan.
The controversy began after GIVA released a 36-second Raksha Bandhan ad featuring Kriti Sanon in an ivory bralette-style blouse, paired with a cape and a draped skirt. In the campaign, she is seen tying rakhi to her brother and her pet dog, with the brand trying to underline that pets are family too. However, the ad soon faced backlash online, with viewers questioning her outfit as well as the way the festival was portrayed.
Kangana explains what she really objected to
Speaking on Decode Live, Kangana clarified that her criticism was not about telling Kriti what she can or cannot wear. She said women are free to dress the way they want, even when celebrating festivals. “Who is stopping them from wearing whatever they want? Who has ever stopped them? Why would anyone care what they choose to wear? A woman can wear whatever she wants on Raksha Bandhan. I feel the bralette was a minor detail, but Hindus, and we come from that background, are the ones who can point this out. Where are the parents? Where is the home? There is no sign of halwa-puri, God, tilak, akshat, incense, or diya,” Kangana said.
She further insisted that certain rituals should not be left out when depicting Raksha Bandhan. She added, “It won’t work without the teeka; Rakhi won’t work. You say aesthetics don’t matter. No. A festival is an aesthetic expression of a culture and a civilisation. Raksha Bandhan is religious expression of a civilisation.”
Kangana further explained that, for her, the bigger concern was the lack of familiar elements associated with a Hindu festival. She questioned the absence of parents, a home setting and traditional touches such as halwa-puri, a deity, tilak, akshat, incense and a diya.
When asked if Kriti would wear a similar outfit for an Eid advertisement, Kangana shifted the focus to how she believes relationships are represented within Hindu culture. She argued that Hindu traditions place a strong emphasis on maintaining dignity and boundaries in different relationships.
Kangana’s initial criticism
On August 24, Kangana took to Instagram Stories to voice her displeasure with the ad. She questioned why Kriti’s outfit was chosen for a festival like Raksha Bandhan, pointing out that women today have plenty of options when it comes to festive dressing. She wrote, “It’s a wonderful time to be a woman. Our closets are full of a variety of clothes, today’s woman is a global woman. From cocktail dresses to lehenga cholis, jeans to saris, bikinis to salwar kameez, from all the options that are available to us today why would you tie your brother a rakhi in your bikini/undergarments? Where are all your styling options? Ha ha the advert looks intentionally creepy!”
She also specifically asked: “Why would you tie your brother a rakhi in your bikini/undergarments?”
Kriti Sanon responds
Kriti Sanon hit back at the criticism without naming Kangana, taking to Instagram Stories to make it clear that she believes the spirit of a festival goes beyond the clothes someone chooses to wear. She wrote, “The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions.”
She also explained why the campaign included her dog and spoke about the way she and her sister view the festival. She further wrote, “Rakshabandhan is a bond of protection. My sister and I tie rakhi to each other. We know we can protect each other no less than a brother would have. We pray for each other’s health, happiness & long life. And for us, this prayer and promise extends to our dogs too! After all, they are family.”
She ended her message with a pointed remark, “Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!”
GIVA pulls the campaign
As the backlash intensified, GIVA decided to pull the advertisement from all platforms. In its statement, the jewellery brand said it holds Indian festivals and traditions in high regard, adding that the campaign was simply an attempt to include pets in the Raksha Bandhan celebrations.
“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. 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 said advertisement from all media”
