Kangana Ranaut slams Kriti Sanon's Raksha Bandhan ad outfit controversy
Synopsis
Kangana Ranaut has publicly called out Kriti Sanon's Raksha Bandhan ad for jewellery brand GIVA, questioning why an actor would choose a bralette-style outfit for a campaign rooted in Indian tradition. With Kriti yet to respond and GIVA silent, the row has become the latest flashpoint in India's ongoing debate over cultural expression in brand advertising.
Key Takeaways
Jewellery brand GIVA released a Raksha Bandhan ad featuring Kriti Sanon in a bralette-style blouse, cape, and draped skirt, sparking widespread social media backlash.
Kangana Ranaut posted a pointed response on her Instagram Stories on Monday , questioning the choice of attire for a traditional festival campaign without naming Sanon directly.
A section of netizens criticised the ad as culturally insensitive, while others defended creative freedom in advertising.
Kriti Sanon and brand GIVA have not responded to the controversy as of the time of reporting.
The episode reflects a recurring pattern of Indian festive-season ads drawing backlash over perceived cultural misalignment.
Actress Kangana Ranaut has weighed in on the social media storm surrounding Kriti Sanon's recent Raksha Bandhan advertisement, taking a pointed dig at the choice of attire in the campaign. The controversy erupted after jewellery brand GIVA released a festive ad featuring Kriti in an ensemble that many viewers found at odds with the traditional spirit of the occasion.
The Advertisement at the Centre of the Row
The GIVA Raksha Bandhan campaign shows Kriti Sanon dressed in an off-white outfit comprising a bralette-style blouse, a cape, and a draped skirt. As soon as the ad went live, it ignited a sharp debate across social media platforms, with a significant section of users arguing that the look was ill-suited for a campaign centred on a traditional Indian festival.
What Kangana Ranaut Said
On Monday, Kangana Ranaut posted her reaction on her official Instagram Stories, suggesting that even in an era of abundant wardrobe choices, women should exercise discretion around cultural occasions. Her post read: 'It's is a wonderful time to be a woman, our closets are full of variety of clothes, today's woman is a global woman, from cocktail dresses to lehnga cholis, jeans to saris, bikins to salwar kameez, from all the options that are available to us today why would you tie your brother a Rakhi in your bikini/ undergarments? Where are all your styling options? Ha ha the advert looks intentionally creepy! (sic).'
Ranaut stopped short of naming Kriti Sanon directly, but the reference to the advertisement was widely understood as aimed at her co-star.
Public Reaction Online
The backlash from a section of netizens was sharp. Some comments on social media read: 'When I looked at this ... I was like ... Kalyug is here .. people are already going back to hunter gatherer times starting first with clothes' and 'Bollywood is full of such people who don't believe in hindu tradition ans just do formality for popularity.' Critics argued that the styling choices amounted to normalising what they described as a disregard for cultural norms. Notably, the controversy also drew counter-voices defending creative expression in advertising, reflecting a broader societal debate around tradition versus modernity in brand campaigns.
Kriti Sanon Yet to Respond
As of the time of reporting, Kriti Sanon has not publicly addressed the backlash or responded to Kangana Ranaut's remarks. GIVA has also not issued a statement on the controversy. The episode adds to a recurring pattern of festive-season advertisements drawing fire for perceived cultural insensitivity — a debate that resurfaces almost every major Indian festival cycle. How Sanon and the brand choose to respond, or not, is likely to shape the next phase of the conversation.
Point of View
Unresolved tension in Indian advertising: brands chasing aspirational, globally-coded aesthetics while anchoring campaigns in festivals that carry deep cultural weight. Kangana's post is strategically ambiguous — it avoids a direct name-call while ensuring maximum visibility. What is consistently missing from these controversies is the brand's own voice; GIVA's silence is a communications choice that rarely ages well. The real question is not what Kriti wore, but why a brand's creative team did not anticipate a reaction that was, in hindsight, entirely predictable.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kriti Sanon Raksha Bandhan ad controversy about?
Jewellery brand GIVA released a Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Kriti Sanon in a bralette-style blouse, cape, and draped skirt. A large section of social media users argued the outfit was inappropriate for a campaign built around a traditional Indian festival, triggering widespread backlash.
What did Kangana Ranaut say about Kriti Sanon's ad?
Kangana Ranaut posted on her Instagram Stories on Monday, suggesting that despite having a wide range of clothing options, women should maintain certain boundaries during cultural occasions. Her post asked why someone would 'tie your brother a Rakhi in your bikini/undergarments,' widely interpreted as a reference to Kriti Sanon's GIVA ad.
Has Kriti Sanon responded to the backlash?
No. As of the time of reporting, Kriti Sanon has not publicly addressed the controversy or responded to Kangana Ranaut's remarks. GIVA has also not issued any statement.
Who is GIVA and what was the ad about?
GIVA is a jewellery brand that released a Raksha Bandhan campaign featuring Kriti Sanon. The ad became controversial due to Sanon's choice of attire, which critics felt was at odds with the traditional nature of the festival.
Is this kind of festive ad controversy common in India?
Yes. Controversies over festive-season advertisements perceived as culturally insensitive recur almost every major Indian festival cycle. This episode follows a familiar pattern where brand creative choices clash with audience expectations around traditional occasions.
