Priyanka Chopra’s mother, Dr Madhu Chopra, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Kriti Sanon’s Raksha Bandhan advertisement, saying that while she believes in the idea of “my body, my choice”, there should also be “daayra”, or boundaries, depending on the cultural setting and occasion.

Madhu’s comments come amid the backlash over Kriti’s Raksha Bandhan campaign for jewellery brand GIVA. The advertisement showed Kriti in an ivory bralette-style blouse, matching cape and long skirt as she tied a rakhi to her on-screen brother and a pet. While the campaign was meant to extend the festival’s message of love and protection to pets, a section of social media users objected to Kriti’s outfit and the way Raksha Bandhan was portrayed. Kriti later defended her choice and the ad, and GIVA eventually withdrew it following the controversy.

Madhu was asked about the row during an interaction with the media, where she shared her views on Kriti’s outfit and the debate surrounding the advertisement.

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“My body, my choice is right, but woh daayra zaruri hai. Dignity, respecting other people’s values is important. Ab yeh cheezein aisi jagah kar sakte hai jahan par yeh normal hai. Par yeh yahan normal nahi hai. Sorry to say that. Hamare bacche bhi pehente hai, kaam ke liye pehente hai, shauk ke liye pehente hai par jahan yeh normal ho aur mere khayal se acceptable aesthetically hona zaruri hai. Agar aesthetically accha hota hai toh sab kuch accha lagta hai. Par yeh thoda aesthetically nahi tha na isiliye. (Of course, my body, my choice is absolutely true however, there should be some boundaries and limitations. There should be dignity, respecting people’s values. You can wear such things where they are normal, but in our culture, it’s not normal to do this. Sorry to say. My kids also wear such clothes, for work and because they like wearing but I also feel, they need to look good aesthetically as per the occasion. If it’s not looking aesthetic, it will draw criticism).”

 

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Kriti Sanon defends her Raksha Bandhan ad

After the advertisement was criticised on social media, Kriti responded to the backlash and defended both the campaign and her choice of clothing. She questioned why a woman’s outfit was being used to judge her respect for culture and traditions.

“Imagine being this bothered by what another woman chooses to wear. Respectfully, evolve. PS: I’m the one she tied the rakhi to, and if I don’t have a problem with it, why do you? The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear; it is in the emotions and meaning you attach to the traditions.”

Kriti also explained the idea behind showing her tying a rakhi to a pet in the advertisement, saying that, for her, Raksha Bandhan represents a bond of protection that goes beyond the traditional relationship between a brother and sister.

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“Raksha Bandhan is a bond of protection. My sister and I tie rakhi to each other. We know we can protect each other just as much as a brother would. We pray for each other’s health, happiness, and long life. For us, this prayer and promise extend to our dogs too. After all, they are family!”

She further addressed the criticism over her clothing and wrote, “Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear? Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, yet a woman’s respect for her culture is still measured by her clothes. Culture and traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!”

What Kangana Ranaut said about Kriti Sanon’s ad

Kangana was among the prominent voices who criticised the campaign. Without naming Kriti in her initial post, she questioned why someone would choose such an outfit for Raksha Bandhan and described the advertisement as “intentionally creepy.”

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“From all the options that are available to us today why would you tie your brother a Rakhi in your bikini/under garments? Where are all your styling options? Ha ha the advert looks intentionally creepy.”

‘Who is stopping Kriti from wearing what she wants?’

In a later interaction with Doordarshan, Kangana said Kriti’s bralette was not her main issue. She objected to the way Raksha Bandhan was portrayed, saying the advertisement lacked traditional elements such as images of gods, teeka, dhoop and deep.

Responding to Kriti’s statement about women being told what to wear, Kangana said, “Who is stopping her from wearing whatever she wants? Who has ever stopped her? I don’t think anyone has bothered about her clothes.”

On the advertisement being withdrawn, she said, “I think everyone was shocked and appalled. I think the bralette was not even the major point there… But where were the parents? Where is the halwa and poori and pictures of gods and teeka, dhoop, deep? Nothing was there.”

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GIVA withdraws Kriti Sanon’s ad

As the controversy grew, GIVA pulled down the Raksha Bandhan advertisement from all media platforms. Kriti is also a strategic investor in the jewellery brand.

In a statement, GIVA said, “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. Out of respect, we have withdrawn the said advertisement from all media. Wish you all the love & positivity this festive season!”