'Six-person panel discussion...': Kriti Sanon on Raksha Bandhan ad controversy
What's the story
Actor Kriti Sanon recently spoke about the controversy surrounding her Raksha Bandhan advertisement for GIVA. The campaign featured her in an Indo-Western outfit, tying a rakhi to her brother and pet dog. However, it sparked criticism online for her dress being too revealing and not representing traditional elements of the festival. In a recent episode of Kareena Kapoor Khan's What Women Want Season 6, Sanon expressed disbelief at how intensely her clothes were discussed on prime-time news.
Unexpected fallout
'I couldn't believe when my choli had become...'
Looking back at the situation, Sanon appeared particularly surprised by the scale of the controversy.
She said, "I couldn't believe when my choli had become like a six-person panel discussion on prime-time news."
Kapoor Khan responded, "I know," further highlighting how unexpected and intense this backlash was for Sanon.
Backlash response
'Culture and traditions are in her heart'
Sanon had responded to the backlash on Instagram earlier, questioning why women are still judged by their clothes.
She wrote, "Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear?"
"Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, yet a woman's respect for her culture is still measured by her clothes."
"Culture and traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!"
Broader conversation
Sanon's posts since the controversy
Over the following weeks, Sanon used her platform to speak out on patriarchy, women's safety, and the unfair tendency to judge women based on what they wear.
One of the posts she reshared read, "Guys, it's not Men vs Women," while addressing patriarchal and misogynistic attitudes.
On September 27, Sanon also shared a post about women's safety which read, "'Was it my fault?' Asked the short skirt."
"'No, it happened to me too,' replied the Burkha."