Hina Khan has reacted to the backlash faced by Kriti Sanon over her Raksha Bandhan advertisement. She said that actors always have the option to walk away from a project if they are not comfortable with its creative direction.
Her comments come after Kriti faced criticism over the advertisement, in which she was seen wearing a bralette top and skirt while tying a rakhi to her on-screen brother and pet dog.
‘Actors Can Choose To Opt Out’
Hina discussed the controversy during her recent podcast appearance with her husband, Rocky Jaiswal, along with actors Rubina Dilaik and Abhinav Shukla. While she did not directly criticise Kriti, Hina suggested that actors can choose to step away from a brand campaign if they do not agree with its creative approach.
“Sometimes, some brands are very adamant about a certain sort of creative. They want to do it their way. As an actor, you always have the option of opting out, considering that it may backfire. Maybe it was not well thought out, or maybe they thought it may not become what it became,” she said on the recent episode of The4POV.
Hina also spoke about how quickly such controversies can escalate on social media.
“The level at which… what happened and what is happening, no one deserves so much. Ek cheez ho gayi, aapne itna socha nahi and it happened [A thing happened, you didn’t give it much thought]. But then people don’t let it go. It becomes big and very big,” she said.
Hina added that while she would share her opinion if asked, she still believes actors have the freedom to decline a project or campaign.
“If I, as Hina Khan, am asked what my opinion is, I will give my opinion. But at the same time, I believe we as actors always have the option of opting out,” she added.
Kriti Sanon On Raksha Bandhan Ad Backlash
Kriti had addressed the criticism in a statement shared on Instagram. She said that the significance of festivals is not determined by what a person wears but by the emotions and meaning attached to the traditions. “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 explained that Raksha Bandhan, for her, represents a bond of protection that extends beyond the traditional brother-sister relationship. “Raksha Bandhan is a bond of protection. My sister and I tie rakhi to each other. We know we can protect each other no less than a brother would have,” she said.
Kriti added that the sentiment also extends to her pets, whom she considers part of her family.
“We pray for each other’s health, happiness & long life. And for us, this prayer and promise extends to our dogs too! After all, they are family!” she concluded.