Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Outrage Over Kriti Sanon’s Rakhi Outfit Sparks Culture Debate
An advertisement showed Kriti Sanon celebrating a rakhi festival with her brother and their pet dog.
The dog also received a rakhi.
Some people complained that Kriti’s blouse was too short for the occasion.
They said the clothing did not fit Indian culture.
Other people said women can wear fashionable clothes around their families without meaning anything inappropriate.
Kriti said that culture and traditions are in a woman’s heart, not her neckline.
Some people also objected to including a pet in the celebration.
The company removed the advertisement the next day after the controversy.
An advertisement showed Kriti Sanon tying a rakhi to her younger brother while a pet dog received one too.
Critics objected to Sanon’s short blouse, calling it inappropriate and inconsistent with Indian culture.
Supporters argued that the outfit was occasion wear and that clothing does not determine a woman’s traditions.
Some viewers also criticized the dog’s role in the family celebration as culturally inappropriate.
Sanon defended her clothing, while the brand withdrew the advertisement the following day.
- Who
- Kriti Sanon, her brother, a pet dog, critics, and the advertisement’s brand.
- What
- A rakhi advertisement triggered criticism over Sanon’s outfit and the dog’s participation in the celebration.
- When
- The brand removed the advertisement the day after the controversy began.
- Where
- The controversy took place online and involved an advertisement shown in India.
- Why
- Critics said Sanon’s short blouse and the dog’s rakhi were inconsistent with Indian culture; supporters disagreed.
Defenders of the Advertisement
Critics of the Advertisement
Sanon’s clothing
Defenders of the Advertisement
Supporters viewed the outfit as fashionable occasion wear that combined playfulness with modesty and was not intended to attract unwanted attention.
Critics of the Advertisement
Critics said the short blouse was inappropriate for tying a rakhi to a brother and did not represent Indian culture.
Meaning of culture
Defenders of the Advertisement
Defenders argued that traditions are not determined by a woman’s neckline and that families can evolve in how they celebrate festivals.
Critics of the Advertisement
Opponents argued that the outfit violated expectations about traditional clothing and behavior during the celebration.
The pet’s role
Defenders of the Advertisement
Supporters saw the dog’s rakhi as a reflection of an evolving idea of family and noted that animals appear prominently in Indian myths and folktales.
Critics of the Advertisement
Some viewers said including a pet at the center of a traditional celebration was also against Indian culture.
- Advertisement theme
- A family celebrating rakhi, with a pet dog receiving a rakhi of its own.
- Kriti Sanon’s outfit
- An embellished sleeveless blouse, a cape, and a long full-length skirt.
- Main criticism
- Critics described the blouse as resembling bikini or undergarments and said it was unsuitable for the occasion.
- Additional criticism
- Some viewers objected to a pet being included in a traditional family celebration.
- Sanon’s response
- She said that culture and traditions are in a woman’s heart, not her neckline.
- Brand response
- The brand pulled the advertisement from the air the following day.