The GIVA ad controversy resurfaces—not as a relic, but as a live wire. Kriti Sanon’s words on What Women Want aren’t about an old commercial. They’re about the weight of being seen. And the cost of being heard.
Kriti Sanon didn’t just revisit the GIVA ad controversy — she re-ignited it. On Season 6 of Kareena Kapoor Khan’s What Women Want, the actress reflected on the storm that followed her appearance in a Raksha Bandhan campaign for the jewellery brand, recalling how a simple fashion choice became a national talking point.
‘I couldn’t believe… when my choli had become like a six-person panel discussion on prime-time news,’ she said, her voice steady but charged. Kareena Kapoor Khan responded instantly: ‘I know.’ The moment wasn’t performative. It was recognition. The ad in question featured Sanon in a contemporary Indo-western look, a white bralette-style choli, a sheer cape, and an embroidered skirt.
Tying a rakhi on a pet dog during festive celebrations. The styling, meant to reflect modern tradition, sparked immediate backlash online. Critics questioned its appropriateness within a family-oriented religious context. The debate spilled into mainstream media, with discussions framing the outfit as excessive or immodest.
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut added fuel, comparing the choli to a bikini. In response, GIVA issued a public apology and pulled the campaign from television and digital platforms. At the time, Sanon had pushed back, questioning why women’s clothing is so often weaponised. She wrote: ‘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 with just her clothes!! Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!’ Her latest comments aren’t a repeat. They’re a recalibration. This isn’t about one ad.
It’s about the machinery that turns a woman’s choice into a moral battleground. The scrutiny persists, not because of the choli, but because of who’s wearing it. And the fact that a conversation about fashion can become a full-blown cultural reckoning says more about the audience than the image. Kriti Sanon isn’t asking for leniency.
She’s demanding accountability. On the part of those who decide what’s acceptable, and why. The real story isn’t the ad. It’s the silence that follows when a woman speaks, and the noise that erupts when she doesn’t.
Be the first to comment
Join the argument. No password, just your email or a passkey.