Neena Gupta addresses continued policing of women’s clothing in India.
Kriti Sanon recently questioned criticism surrounding her advertisement outfit.
Neena says meaningful social change could take several generations.
Neena Gupta has spoken about the continued judgement women face over their clothes, saying society may not change easily. Her comments come days after the Kriti Sanon clothing controversy, which erupted when the actor faced criticism for her outfit in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement, which the brand later withdrew.
Speaking to NDTV while promoting her upcoming web series Chumbak, Neena recalled an incident involving a friend and a tailor to highlight how deeply clothing choices are still policed.
Neena Gupta on women's clothing
Neena pointed to areas such as Delhi's Sita Ram Bazaar, where women are still expected to cover their faces with a veil. She said that although some progress has been made, it remains limited.
“Whatever has changed, it has changed only by a few percentage points. What has changed is that women have started earning," Neena said, adding that she believed these attitudes were unlikely to disappear soon.
She also said that the most effective way to bring change would be to educate boys and teach them to respect women. According to Neena, it could take several generations for such thinking to shift, particularly in smaller towns and villages.
Neena recalls tailor incident
Neena then shared a personal example from a friend who had gone to a tailor for a spaghetti-strap blouse with a neckline of around 10–11 inches. The tailor had responded by telling her, "Don't wear a blouse then.”
The actor has previously faced similar criticism herself. In 2022, after being trolled for her outfit, Neena had reminded critics that clothing does not determine a woman's intelligence or achievements.
Kriti Sanon clothing controversy
Kriti recently questioned the practice of policing women's outfits after the advertisement featuring her was pulled down. “When will we stop telling women what to wear?" she had asked, adding, “Culture and traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline.”
The brand later apologised, saying the advertisement was not intended to hurt anyone's sentiments.
