Actress Rubina Dilaik has weighed in on the controversy surrounding a Raksha Bandhan jewellery advertisement featuring Kriti Sanon, saying brands should not use public sentiment around festivals simply to generate publicity.
Rubina discussed the issue on The4POV podcast, which features her and husband Abhinav Shukla along with actress Hina Khan and her husband Rocky Jaiswal. The participants shared their views on the debate over the advertisement and the way festivals are represented in commercial campaigns.
Rocky Jaiswal said clothing should not have become such a major issue, but maintained that certain boundaries apply when religious spaces and sentiments are involved.
“Clothing shouldn’t have created such a big issue. Freedom of expression is not absolute. My body, my rule does not enter in a religious space,” he said.
Rubina questioned the practice of building advertising campaigns around festivals while taking creative liberties that could potentially offend public sentiment.
“You can’t play on public sentiment and want to create a buzz,” she said during the discussion.
The panel also discussed the choices available to actors when they are uncomfortable with a campaign’s creative treatment. Hina Khan said, “Actors always, always have an option of opting out.”
The controversy erupted after a jewellery advertisement featuring Kriti during Raksha Bandhan drew criticism online over her outfit and the depiction of the festival. In the campaign, Kriti wore a bralette-style blouse with a cape and draped skirt and was shown celebrating Raksha Bandhan, including tying a rakhi to her pet. The jewellery brand subsequently withdrew the advertisement following the backlash.
The row intensified after actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut criticised the campaign, questioning Kriti’s outfit and describing the advertisement as “intentionally creepy”. She also raised questions about its portrayal of Raksha Bandhan and its cultural context.
Kriti responded through social media without naming Kangana, questioning the practice of judging a woman’s connection with culture based on her clothing.
“The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions,” Kriti wrote. She added, “Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!”