Before Kriti Sanon's Rakhi Ad, These Festival and Bridal Campaigns Sparked Controversies

Kriti Sanon's latest Raksha Bandhan advertisement has once again opened up a familiar debate around festive advertising in India. The actor features in a jewellery campaign wearing an off-white bralette-style blouse with a cape and draped skirt. The ad also shows her tying a rakhi to her pet dog.

While some viewers saw the campaign as a contemporary take on the festival, others questioned the styling and the way Raksha Bandhan was presented. Some social media users felt that the outfit did not fit the traditional setting, while others objected to the inclusion of the dog. The criticism grew after Kangana Ranaut appeared to take a dig at the campaign, questioning why someone would tie a rakhi in a “bikini”. Kriti has not responded to the backlash so far.

But Kriti's ad is far from the first festive or bridal campaign to find itself at the centre of a culture-versus-modernity debate. Over the years, several major brands have faced backlash for questioning rituals, changing traditional imagery or presenting Indian festivals through a more contemporary lens.

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Here are some of the most notable examples.

Alia Bhatt's ‘Kanyadaan' Ad

One of the biggest examples came in 2021 when Alia Bhatt featured in a bridal advertisement for Manyavar's Mohey.

The commercial questioned the traditional practice of ‘kanyadaan'. Alia, playing a bride, wonders why a daughter is treated as something that has to be “given away” during a wedding. The campaign instead promoted the idea of ‘kanyamaan', focusing on respecting the bride rather than presenting her as someone being donated to another family.

The campaign received praise for challenging gender stereotypes and questioning the idea of ‘paraya dhan'. However, it also drew criticism from sections of social media, with some calling the campaign an attack on Hindu traditions and accusing it of being “woke”.

Fabindia's ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz' Diwali Campaign

Fabindia also found itself facing backlash over its 2021 Diwali campaign.

The brand launched a festive clothing collection called ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz'. The campaign featured models in Indian ethnic wear, but the use of the Urdu phrase in the name became the centre of the controversy.

Critics accused the brand of using an inappropriate name for a Diwali collection and claimed that it was hurting Hindu sentiments. BJP leader Tejasvi Surya was among those who criticised the campaign publicly. Fabindia eventually removed the promotional tweet and withdrew the collection from its website.

The controversy was therefore not about the clothes themselves, but about how a major Indian festival was being represented and named.

Dabur Fem's Karva Chauth Campaign

Another 2021 campaign that triggered a major debate was Dabur Fem's Karva Chauth advertisement.

The commercial showed two women preparing for their first Karva Chauth together. The final sequence made it clear that the women were a same-sex couple celebrating the festival as partners.

The campaign was praised by many viewers for bringing LGBTQ+ representation into a traditional festival. But it also faced backlash from people who said the brand was interfering with Hindu customs. 

It became another example of a brand trying to make a traditional festival more inclusive, only to face resistance over how that tradition was being portrayed.

Tanishq's interfaith Wedding Campaign

Tanishq's 2020 ‘Ekatvam' campaign remains one of the most prominent examples of a wedding advertisement triggering a national controversy.

The advertisement showed a Hindu woman married into a Muslim family. Her Muslim mother-in-law organises a traditional Hindu baby shower ceremony for her. The campaign was positioned as a celebration of different cultures coming together.

However, sections of social media accused Tanishq of promoting what they called ‘love jihad'. The brand eventually removed the advertisement.

Sabyasachi's Mangalsutra Campaign

Sabyasachi's 2021 mangalsutra campaign was another case where a traditional symbol collided with contemporary fashion imagery.

The campaign for the designer's Royal Bengal Mangalsutra 1.2 featured models wearing the mangalsutra in intimate photographs. One image showed a woman wearing a black brassiere with the mangalsutra while leaning against a shirtless male model.

A section of social media users called the imagery inappropriate for a mangalsutra advertisement and accused the brand of disrespecting the traditional significance of the jewellery.

What makes these controversies interesting is that they are not all about the same thing.

Alia Bhatt's campaign questioned a wedding ritual. Fabindia's campaign became controversial over the language and cultural framing of Diwali. Dabur attempted to bring LGBTQ+ representation into Karva Chauth. Tanishq focused on interfaith relationships and cultural unity, while Sabyasachi used contemporary fashion imagery around a traditional marital symbol.

Kriti Sanon's Raksha Bandhan advertisement now enters the same conversation from another angle: how traditional festivals should look on screen and whether modern fashion can coexist with familiar cultural imagery.

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