Kangana Ranaut has expanded on her criticism of Kriti Sanon's Raksha Bandhan ad.
She insisted that Indian festivals are about cultural expression, not merely a matter of aesthetics.
The GIVA ad has been pulled in the wake of the controversy.
Kangana Ranaut has clarified her negative comments on Kriti Sanon's viral Raksha Bandhan advertisement. She stated that she was not targeting any individual per se, but the wider, holistic cultural framing and context of festivals. She emphatically added that the Indian festival is "not just about aesthetics" but an "expression of a culture and civilisation."
In a new interview with Sudhir Chaudhary, Ranaut elaborated on her criticism of the ad. Speaking on Decode Live, Ranaut insisted that her criticism was not about telling Sanon what she can or cannot wear. She clarified 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,” Ranaut asked.
She further added that certain rituals should not be omitted when depicting Raksha Bandhan. She underlined, “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.”
Kangana Ranaut's Earlier Criticism Of Kriti Sanon Ad
On August 24, Ranaut took to Instagram Stories to express her displeasure with the ad. She flagged 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!”
GIVA Raksha Bandhan campaign became a talking point online. Backlash was doled out to Kriti’s bralette-style blouse and the way the festival was presented in the advertisement, which has since been pulled. Sanon has defended the ad.
