Kriti Sanon's Raksha Bandhan ad pulled down after online fury, brand GIVA addresses hurt sentiments
Jewellery brand GIVA pulls Raksha Bandhan ad after outrage over Kriti Sanon’s outfit
A festive ad meant to celebrate Raksha Bandhan has instead landed jewellery brand GIVA in the middle of a culture-war storm and has now been taken down.
The ad, and why it blew up
The campaign, which went live on July 20, featured Kriti Sanon in an outfit that quickly became the flashpoint of the controversy. Critics accused the brand of trivialising the festival, with many arguing the actor's clothing choice was inappropriate for a rakhi-themed commercial. Comments piled up questioning why such attire was paired with a tradition centered on sibling protection, and some framed the ad as disrespectful to the festival's religious roots.
The criticism gained further traction when actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut weighed in. Without tagging Kriti by name, she posted on Instagram suggesting that with so many clothing options available to women today, the choice for a rakhi ad felt deliberately provocative rather than accidental.
GIVA responds and pulls the ad
Facing mounting pressure, GIVA issued a statement on Instagram on Wednesday, asserting its respect for Indian traditions and clarifying that the campaign's intent was to widen the circle of Raksha Bandhan celebrations to include pets, not to cause offense. The brand said the ad had been withdrawn across all platforms out of respect for the sentiments it had stirred, and it disabled comments on the post.
Kriti pushes back
Before the ad's removal, Kriti had already addressed the criticism directly. In an Instagram Stories post, she argued that the true spirit of Raksha Bandhan lies in the emotional bond it represents rather than in what one wears, describing how she and her sister exchange rakhis with each other, and extend that same promise of protection to their dogs, whom she called family. She also pointedly questioned society's tendency to police women's clothing, arguing that a woman's cultural values shouldn't be judged by her hemline.
Notably, some social media users pushed back on the backlash itself, pointing out the irony of people who've praised Kriti in swimwear on-screen suddenly objecting to her outfit choices off-screen.
