Jewellery brand GIVA has withdrawn its Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring actor Kriti Sanon after it faced heavy criticism on social media over her outfit and the portrayal of the festival.
In a statement shared on its social media platforms on Wednesday, GIVA said it had no intention of hurting the sentiments of any section of society and had decided to remove the advertisement from all media.
The brand said it held the highest regard for Indian culture, traditions and festivals, adding that it had sought to celebrate Raksha Bandhan by extending the spirit of love and togetherness to pets as well.
In the advertisement, Sanon, who stars in Cocktail 2, is seen wearing an Indo-Western outfit comprising a bralette and skirt with a cape. She ties a Rakhi to her brother and pet dog.
The advertisement sparked criticism online, with some users objecting to Sanon's outfit and others questioning the depiction of a dog as part of the Raksha Bandhan ritual.
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also criticised the advertisement, describing Sanon's outfit as ‘intentionally creepy’ in an Instagram Story. She questioned why the actor had chosen what she described as a revealing outfit for a traditional festival when women have a wide range of clothing options.
Sanon later responded to the criticism, saying that culture and traditions are rooted in a person's heart rather than determined by their clothing.
She also questioned the practice of telling women what they should wear, arguing that respect for culture should not be measured by a woman's clothes.
In her note, Sanon stressed that the essence of festivals is not in the clothes one wears but "in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions".
"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 added, addressing trolls who objected to her tying a Rakhi on a dog.
GIVA, meanwhile, said it had withdrawn the advertisement as a mark of respect and wished people ‘love and positivity’ during the festive season.
(With inputs from PTI)