Kriti Sanon Recalls Outfit Controversy from Raksha Bandhan Ad on Kareena Kapoor’s Show

Actress Kriti Sanon has revisited the controversy surrounding her Raksha Bandhan advertisement during an appearance on Kareena Kapoor Khan’s talk show What Women Want Season 6.

In the promo for the episode, Kriti told the host that she was stunned by the scale of the reaction to her outfit. “I couldn’t believe… when my choli had become like a 6-person panel discussion on prime-time news,” she said. Kareena responded with a simple “I know.”

The advertisement, released by jewellery brand GIVA for Raksha Bandhan, showed Kriti in an Indo-Western outfit tying a rakhi to her brother and also to her pet dog. Some viewers criticised the clothing as inappropriate for a traditional festival and questioned the ad’s unconventional approach, including the absence of more conventional elements and the inclusion of the pet.

Kriti had earlier addressed the backlash on social media. She defended the campaign and questioned the practice of judging women by their clothing, writing that ethnic fashion has evolved and that a woman’s respect for culture is not measured by her neckline. “Culture and traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline,” she stated.

ALSO READ : Why GIVA Pulled Kriti Sanon’s Raksha Bandhan Ad: ‘Employee Safety Came First’

She continued to share related posts in the following days, including messages on women’s safety and against victim-blaming linked to clothing choices. One post read, “‘Was it my fault?’ Asked the short skirt. ‘No, it happened to me too,’ replied the Burkha…” Another emphasised that the issue was not men versus women but patriarchal attitudes.

The brand later withdrew the advertisement, stating that it respected Indian culture, traditions and festivals and had not intended to hurt sentiments.

The discussion on the talk show marks Kriti’s first public reflection on the episode after the initial social media debate.