‘There is no sign of halwa-puri’: Kangana Ranaut says the bralette was not the main problem with Kriti Sanon's Rakhi ad
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
Kangana Ranaut has once again addressed the row over Kriti Sanon 's Raksha Bandhan ad for jewellery brand GIVA . While her initial criticism centred on Kriti's outfit, the BJP MP has now clarified that the bralette was only a small part of her objection. She shared her bigger concern was how the festival was portrayed, arguing that the ad did not capture the traditional elements she believes are central to Raksha Bandhan.
Adding to this, Kangana Ranaut says Kriti Sanon’s bralette wasn’t the real issue in the Rakshabandhan ad. The row began after GIVA rolled out a 36-second Raksha Bandhan ad featuring Kriti Sanon in an ivory bralette-style blouse, paired with a cape and a draped skirt. In the campaign, she is seen tying rakhi to her brother and her pet dog, with the brand trying to underline that pets are family too. However, the ad soon faced backlash online, with viewers questioning her outfit as well as the way the festival was portrayed.
Meanwhile, Speaking on Decode Live, Kangana clarified that her criticism was not about telling Kriti what she can or cannot wear. She shared women are free to dress the way they want, even when celebrating festivals. “ Who is stopping them from wearing whatever they want? Who has ever stopped them? Why would anyone care what they choose to wear? A woman can wear whatever she wants on Raksha Bandhan. I feel the bralette was a minor detail, but Hindus, and we come from that background, are the ones who can point this out. Where are the parents? Where is the home? There is no sign of halwa-puri, God, tilak, akshat, incense, or diya,” Kangana shared.
Notably, She further insisted that certain rituals should not be left out when depicting Raksha Bandhan. She added, “It won't work without the teeka; Rakhi won't work. You say aesthetics don't matter. No. A festival is an aesthetic expression of a culture and a civilisation. Raksha Bandhan is religious expression of a civilisation.”
As per the latest buzz, Kangana further explained that, for her, the bigger concern was the lack of familiar elements associated with a Hindu festival. She questioned the absence of parents, a home setting and traditional touches such as halwa-puri, a deity, tilak, akshat, incense and a diya.
In further updates, On August 24, Kangana posted on Instagram Stories to voice her displeasure with the ad. She questioned why Kriti's outfit was chosen for a festival like Raksha Bandhan, pointing out that women today have plenty of options when it comes to festive dressing. She wrote, “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!”
On top of that, She also specifically asked: “Why would you tie your brother a rakhi in your bikini/undergarments?”
Kriti Sanon hit back at the criticism without naming Kangana, taking to Instagram Stories to make it clear that she believes the spirit of a festival goes beyond the clothes someone chooses to wear. She wrote, “The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions.”
Source: Hindustan Times