It’s another day, and another actress being trolled for an advertisement. Honestly, it’s not the first incident in tinseltown. The latest celebrity to be facing the brunt of intense backlash over a Rakshabandhan advertisement is Kriti Sanon.
Kriti Sanon was onboarded as the brand ambassador of the jewellery brand GIVA on May 22, 2026. Founded in 2019, GIVA specialises in affordable, everyday-wear 925 sterling silver and lab-grown diamond pieces.
What was intended to be a well-meaning advertisement for Rakshabandhan, in which GIVA launched its special ‘Pet Collection’ featuring pure-silver pet-tag charms and accessories, had the complete opposite reaction, leading to Kriti Sanon getting brutally trolled.
Kriti sanon wearing a bra while tying a rakhi to her brother in a new jewellery Ad by GIVA. You won’t see them making fun of either Eid or Christmas. pic.twitter.com/EcSmwyhiNT
— smh (@seemhuh) August 22, 2026
Here’s a timeline of what exactly happened.
How It Began
The advertisement that went viral earlier this week was a promotional video for Rakshabandhan. The commercial showed a modern setting where Kriti Sanon, as the sister, was seen tying a rakhi on her brother’s hand, along with their pet dog joining in on the occasion. But the vibe seemed to have gone unchecked when the internet lost its cool over Kriti Sanon’s Indo-Western outfit.
The ivory Indo-Western outfit, featuring a bralette-styled blouse with a matching skirt and drape, was considered ‘inappropriate’ by social media viewers. The plunging neckline of the attire was heavily criticised, as some said that it disrespected the traditional sanctity of the Rakshabandhan festival.
The ad overall skipped the traditional steps of including a puja thali and tilak, for that matter, and made it different by including the pet dog as a part of the family.
Trolls were relentless, as they said the concept was an insult to Hindu traditions and that rituals were altered unnecessarily by including a pet dog, which, somewhere, hampered the sacred sibling bond that the festival is about. While some pet lovers found it heartwarming, the primary reason for the outrage was undoubtedly Kriti Sanon’s styling.
Kangana Ranaut’s Jibe At Kriti Sanon, Latter’s Reaction
And in came actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who is infamous for her opinions on her Instagram Stories. Though she did not directly take Kriti Sanon’s name, her scathing comment on ‘tying Rakhi in your bikini’ made it clear that it was a jibe at her industry colleague.
The Instagram story shared by Kangana Ranaut on Monday evening, a day after the advertisement was heavily trolled, read, “It’s a wonderful time to be a woman. Our closets are full of a variety of clothes. Today’s woman is a global woman, from cocktail dresses to lehenga cholis, jeans to saris, bikinis to salwar kameez. From all the options that are available to us today, why would you tie a Rakhi to your brother in your bikini/underwear? Where are all your styling options?” she asked.
In her Instagram Story, Kangana Ranaut also called the advertisement “intentionally creepy”.
This was followed by Kriti Sanon releasing a statement yesterday addressing the ongoing controversy.
In response to her critics, including Kangana Ranaut, Kriti Sanon shared a statement on her Instagram Stories.
“The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear; it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions…” she wrote, adding why women’s attire constantly invites societal scrutiny.
“Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear? Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but still a woman’s respect for her culture is measured by just her clothes! Culture and traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!” Kriti Sanon wrote.
The Cocktail 2 actor also slammed a section of social media users who had objected to her tying a rakhi to a dog.
“Rakshabandhan 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. We pray for each other’s health, happiness and long life. And for us, this prayer and promise extends to our dogs too! After all, they are family,” she added.
Advertisement Officially Removed
And this morning, the final nail in the coffin came when GIVA put out an official note on Instagram, apologising for hurting any sentiments and announcing that the Rakshabandhan advertisement had officially been taken down.
The statement read, “We have the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals. As a brand, we have always believed in celebrating these joyous moments with the entire family, and this time we wanted to extend the love and celebration to our pets.
“If our recent advertisement has inadvertently hurt the sentiments of some segments of society, that was not our intent at all. Out of respect, we have withdrawn the said advertisement from all media. Wish you all the love and positivity this festive season!” the brand said in a statement.
Kriti Sanon’s sister Nupur Sanon had also come in support of her sister yesterday, as she shared her post and wrote, “Imagine being this bothered by what another woman chooses to wear. Respectfully, evolve. PS: I’m the one she tied the rakhi to, and if I don’t have a problem with it, why do you?”
Not only Bollywood stars but politicians, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, also waded into the controversy, firmly backing Kriti Sanon.
“What a woman wears, what she does and where she goes-is her choice,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on his Instagram Story, sharing Kriti Sanon’s own response to the trolling.
“Stop trolling women for exercising their freedom,” he further wrote, appending the hashtag #SmashThePatriarchy, which he deployed recently at his all-women ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ rally in Pune.
Either way, the internet seems to have won, as GIVA bowed down, hoping the controversy now dies down after the official statements were shared regarding the intention behind the Rakshabandhan advertisement featuring Kriti Sanon.
ALSO READ | Why GIVA Pulled Down Kriti Sanon’s Rakhi Ad: Full Text Of Statement
