New Delhi, August 27: Jewellery brand GIVA has withdrawn its advertisement featuring actor Kriti Sanon after it sparked backlash over her outfit. The advertisement, released ahead of Raksha Bandhan, drew criticism from some social media users who questioned Sanon’s attire and called it “against Indian culture”.
On Wednesday, GIVA addressed the controversy in a statement shared on Instagram, saying it had the “highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals”.
“We have the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals. As a brand, we have always believed in celebrating these joyous moments with the entire family and this time we wanted to extend the love and celebration to our pets. If our recent advertisement has inadvertently hurt the sentiments of some segments of society, that was not our intent at all. The brand said the advertisement was intended to celebrate the festival with family and pets.
Meanwhile, Sanon had responded to the criticism on Tuesday, questioning the focus on her clothes and saying that festivals were about emotions and the meaning attached to traditions. “Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear??” Sanon wrote, arguing that a woman’s respect for her culture should not be measured by her clothes. “Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!” she added.
