Amid the recent controversy over Kriti Sanon's outfit in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement, ex-Roadies judge Raghu Ram shared a video on Instagram questioning why people have an issue with the actress's outfit - or, more generally, who gave men the right to decide what women can or cannot wear.
In the video, Raghu Ram says, "Kriti Sanon ke rakhi ad ka panga aaya. Aur chala gaya shayad, ya chali jaayegi. Koi nayi cheez aa jaayegi jisse humein thes pahunch jaayegi. Magar do sawaal hain mere, jinke baare mein main aap se baat karna chahta hoon comments mein. (Kriti Sanon's Rakhi ad controversy came, and perhaps it has passed, or will pass. Something new will come along that will hurt us again. But I have two questions that I want to discuss with you in the comments.)"
He continued, "Mujhe laga, kya hai yaar - ek behen apne bhai ko rakhi baandh rahi hai. Bhai ko problem nahi hai, aapko kya problem hai? Phir mujhe laga, shayad mujhe hi kuch samajh nahi aa raha hai. Mujhe samajhna hai, please aap mujhe samjha dijiye. (I thought — what's the issue, really? A sister is tying a rakhi to her brother. The brother doesn't have a problem, so why do you? Then I wondered if perhaps I'm the one not understanding something. I want to understand, so please explain it to me.)"
Raghu Ram added, "Do problems hain mere - ladkiyon ke kam kapde pehne se kyun problem hai aur kya hai? Yeh mat bolna ki ladkiyon ke rape aur molestation hote hain baad mein, yeh mat bolna. Yeh bahut hi ghatiya, unacceptable soch aur criminal mindset hai. (I have two problems. Why is there an issue with women wearing fewer clothes, and what exactly is the problem? Don't say it's because women get raped or molested afterwards. Don't say that. That is a vile, unacceptable thought and a criminal mindset.)"
He further pointed out, "Ek politician ne bhi yeh justify kiya tha - ki agar tum mithai ka dabba khula chhod doge, makkhiyaan toh ghoomenge. Dusre aadmiyon ko aisa kya vardaan mila hai ki woh ladkiyon ko batayenge ki unko kya pehenna chahiye? Yeh hain mere do sawaal. In dono ke baare mein please soch kar jawaab dena, and I will engage with you in the comments like I do. And I will always look forward to these conversations. See you in the comments. ( A politician even tried to justify it — saying that if you leave a box of sweets open, flies will gather. What special privilege do men have that they think they can dictate what women should wear? These are my two questions. Please think carefully and respond to them, and I will engage with you in the comments as I always do. I will always look forward to these conversations. See you in the comments.)"
What Is The Kriti Sanon Ad Controversy?
The controversy began after jewellery brand GIVA released a Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Kriti. In the campaign, the actor was seen celebrating the festival with her brother and tying a rakhi to a pet dog. She wore an Indo-Western outfit featuring a bralette-style blouse, a cape and a draped skirt.
While the campaign attempted to present a contemporary take on Raksha Bandhan, some social media users criticised Kriti's outfit and felt that it was inappropriate for a festival traditionally associated with family and cultural traditions.
Taking a jibe at Kriti's advertisement, Kangana Ranaut wrote on her Instagram Stories, "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!"
Kriti later responded to the backlash, defending the idea behind the campaign.
"The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions..." she wrote, adding that women's attire constantly invites societal scrutiny.
"Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear? Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but still a woman's respect for her culture is measured by just her clothes!! Culture & traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!" Kriti 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 added.
Jewellery brand GIVA removed the Raksha Bandhan advertisement after Kriti lashed out at her critics for questioning the choice of attire worn by her in the video commercial.
GIVA's Clarification
GIVA founder Ishendra Agarwal shared a clarification on Instagram on Saturday after the brand faced criticism for withdrawing the advertisement.
He said there had been a perception that GIVA had distanced itself from the campaign and its message following the backlash.
Agarwal said the brand's belief in the campaign's intent "remains unchanged".
He explained that the advertisement was developed in collaboration with Kriti Sanon and was meant to portray Raksha Bandhan as a festival centred around family and togetherness.
According to the founder, GIVA decided to remove the campaign after the situation around some of its stores escalated. He said the company had to make the decision quickly, particularly as the jewellery brand is still a loss-making entity.
Agarwal cited "Incidents creating an unsafe environment for our on-ground teams" as the reason for the move. He added that protecting employees and stores was the company's primary responsibility.
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