Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Rahul Gandhi Backs Kriti Sanon Amid Raksha Bandhan Ad Row
Jewellery company GIVA made a Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Kriti Sanon.
She wore an Indo-Western outfit with a bralette-style blouse, a cape and a draped skirt.
Some people said the outfit was not suitable for a traditional festival.
Others objected to Sanon tying a rakhi to a dog.
Kangana Ranaut strongly criticized the advertisement.
Sanon said festivals are about feelings and traditions, not just clothes.
She also said women should be free to choose what they wear.
Rahul Gandhi supported her and asked people to stop trolling women.
GIVA later removed the advertisement after acknowledging that it may have hurt some people’s feelings.
Rahul Gandhi defended Kriti Sanon’s freedom of choice after criticism of her GIVA Raksha Bandhan advertisement outfit.
The 36-second ad shows Sanon tying rakhis to her brother and later to a family dog.
Kangana Ranaut called the styling “intentionally creepy,” while other social-media users called it inappropriate or vulgar.
Sanon said cultural respect comes from emotions, values and traditions rather than a woman’s clothing.
GIVA later withdrew the advertisement from all media, saying it may have inadvertently hurt some people’s sentiments.
- Who
- Actor Kriti Sanon, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, Sanon’s sister Nupur Sanon and jewellery brand GIVA were involved in the controversy.
- What
- A GIVA Raksha Bandhan advertisement drew criticism over Sanon’s outfit and its depiction of her tying a rakhi to a dog; Gandhi defended her, and GIVA withdrew the ad.
- When
- The reactions were reported on Tuesday, August 25; one report specified August 25, 2026.
- Where
- The controversy unfolded mainly on social media, including Instagram Stories; one report carried a New Delhi dateline.
- Why
- Critics questioned whether the styling and dog sequence suited a traditional festival, while Sanon and Gandhi defended personal choice and broader interpretations of tradition.
Supporters of Personal Choice
Advertisement Critics
Women’s clothing and freedom
Supporters of Personal Choice
Sanon and Gandhi said women should not be judged, trolled or subjected to online policing because of their clothing or personal choices.
Advertisement Critics
Ranaut and other social-media users argued that Sanon’s outfit was unsuitable for representing a traditional festival, with some calling it vulgar.
Cultural representation
Supporters of Personal Choice
Sanon said culture and traditions are rooted in emotions, values and meaning rather than a woman’s neckline, and that ethnic fashion has evolved.
Advertisement Critics
Critics said the styling raised questions about how Indian culture and a traditional festival should be represented in advertising.
Rakhi for a pet
Supporters of Personal Choice
Sanon said the protective bond and prayers associated with Raksha Bandhan extend to her family’s dogs because pets are family.
Advertisement Critics
Some users objected to the advertisement showing a rakhi being tied to a dog and said the sequence was unsuitable or distracted from the festival’s message.
Withdrawal of the advertisement
Supporters of Personal Choice
GIVA said the campaign was intended to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with families and their pets and was not intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments.
Advertisement Critics
The brand’s withdrawal followed criticism from sections of social media about the advertisement’s outfit and festival imagery.
- Brand
- The advertisement was for jewellery brand GIVA.
- Advertisement length
- The campaign included a 36-second video.
- Sanon’s outfit
- She wore an off-white or ivory bralette-style blouse with a cape and a draped skirt.
- Advertisement sequence
- Sanon ties a rakhi to her brother and later ties another around the family dog’s leg.
- Rahul Gandhi’s response
- He said what a woman wears, does and where she goes is her choice, and urged people to stop trolling women.
- Kangana Ranaut’s criticism
- Ranaut questioned the outfit’s suitability for a traditional festival and described the advertisement as “intentionally creepy.”
- GIVA’s decision
- GIVA said it withdrew the advertisement from all media after acknowledging that it may have inadvertently hurt some people’s sentiments.
Sources
'What A Woman Wears Is Her Choice': Rahul Gandhi Backs Kriti Sanon Amid Raksha Bandhan Ad Row
Rahul Gandhi comes out in support of Kriti Sanon amid controversy over Rakhi ad: ‘What women wears is her choice’
Rahul Gandhi Wades Into Kriti Sanon-Kangana Ranaut Instagram Fight: "What A Woman Wears..."
'Her Choice, Stop Trolling': Rahul Gandhi Backs Kriti Sanon After Raksha Bandhan Ad Backlash
‘What a woman wears is her choice’: Rahul Gandhi backs Kriti Sanon amid Rakhi ad row - Telegraph India
It’s Her Choice
‘Stop trolling women’: Rahul Gandhi defends Kriti Sanon over outfit row, but GIVA later removes raksha bandhan ad
