GIVA has pulled its Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Kriti Sanon after days of online criticism over the actor’s outfit and the way the festive campaign presented the sibling celebration. The jewellery brand announced the decision on August 26, saying it respected Indian culture, traditions and festivals and did not intend to hurt the sentiments of any section of society. The move came just a day after Kriti publicly defended the campaign and questioned why a woman’s clothes should become the measure of her respect for tradition. The controversy has now turned a festive jewellery advertisement into a wider discussion about cultural expectations, advertising and the freedom to choose what to wear.
Why GIVA Removed The Advertisement
The GIVA campaign was released on July 20 as part of its Raksha Bandhan gifting push, with Kriti appearing in an Indo-Western outfit while taking part in the festival. The advertisement also extended the idea of the sibling bond to pets, presenting them as part of the family and connecting the celebration with a broader message of affection. While the campaign was designed around that emotional idea, criticism online increasingly focused on Kriti’s bralette-style blouse, cape and draped skirt rather than the central message. Some social media users argued that the styling was unsuitable for a traditional festival and described the advertisement as disrespectful to Indian culture.
The backlash intensified over the past few days, with comments questioning why someone would tie a rakhi while wearing what critics described as revealing clothing. The debate moved beyond ordinary reactions when actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also commented on the campaign, arguing that women have many clothing choices and questioning the decision to use such styling for Raksha Bandhan. Kangana wrote, “It’s 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 lehenga cholis, jeans to saris, bikinis 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!”
GIVA has now chosen to remove the campaign rather than allow the controversy to continue surrounding the brand’s festive messaging. In its statement, the company said, “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.” The company added, “Out of respect, we have withdrawn the said advertisement from all media. Wish you all the love & positivity this festive season!” GIVA also switched off comments on the Instagram post carrying its statement.
Kriti Sanon Defends Her Choice
Kriti’s response came shortly before GIVA announced the withdrawal, putting her position clearly on the controversy. Rather than treating the discussion as simply a question of festival-appropriate styling, the actor focused on the meaning behind Raksha Bandhan and the continuing scrutiny women face over their clothing. She explained that she and her sister share the tradition of tying rakhi to each other and that the same affection and prayers extend to their dogs because they consider them family.
In her note, Kriti wrote, “The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions. 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 & long life. And for us, this prayer and promise extends to our dogs too! Afterall, they are family! 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!”
That response shifted the conversation from the advertisement itself to a much larger question about how traditional festivals are represented in modern advertising. For brands, festive campaigns often have to balance contemporary fashion and familiar cultural imagery, particularly when celebrities are involved and every visual detail can be dissected online. In this case, the emotional idea around family and pets was largely overshadowed by a debate about whether Kriti’s styling belonged in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement.
The controversy also shows how quickly celebrity advertising can move beyond the control of the brand once social media reactions begin driving the narrative. A campaign created around jewellery and family sentiment ended up becoming a debate about clothing, cultural identity and women’s autonomy. GIVA’s decision to withdraw the advertisement effectively closes the campaign’s public run, but the discussion around Kriti’s response is likely to continue because it touches on a familiar fault line between changing fashion choices and traditional expectations.
What This Means For Celebrity Advertising
The GIVA controversy is significant because festive advertising in India rarely operates only as a product-selling exercise. Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, Eid and other major celebrations carry strong emotional and cultural associations, so brands routinely build campaigns around family relationships, rituals and familiar traditions. When a campaign introduces a more contemporary visual language, the response can depend as much on how viewers interpret the cultural setting as on what the advertisement is actually trying to sell.
Celebrity involvement makes that equation even more complicated. Kriti Sanon’s presence brought considerable visibility to the campaign, but it also meant that the actor became closely associated with the criticism directed at the advertisement. The subsequent comments from Kangana Ranaut and the wider online debate pushed the campaign further into public discussion, while Kriti’s own response gave the controversy another dimension. Reports also noted support for Kriti from her sister Nupur Sanon, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi separately spoke out against trolling women over their clothing.
For GIVA, withdrawing the advertisement appears to be an attempt to draw a line under the dispute and refocus attention on the brand’s stated intention of celebrating family and pets. For Kriti, however, the episode has become another public conversation about whether cultural respect should be judged through a woman’s appearance. Neither side’s position is likely to disappear simply because the advertisement has been removed, which is perhaps the clearest lesson from the controversy: once a festive campaign becomes part of a social debate, taking it offline does not necessarily take the debate with it.
GIVA-Kriti Sanon Ad Controversy: Key Questions
Why did GIVA withdraw Kriti Sanon’s Raksha Bandhan ad?
GIVA withdrew the advertisement after criticism over Kriti Sanon’s outfit and the campaign’s presentation of Raksha Bandhan. The company said it respected Indian culture and traditions and did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiments.
What did Kriti Sanon say about the controversy?
Kriti defended the campaign by arguing that the essence of a festival lies in its emotions and traditions rather than clothing. She also questioned why women continue to be judged for what they wear.
What did Kangana Ranaut say about Kriti’s advertisement?
Kangana criticised the styling used in the campaign and questioned why Kriti would tie a rakhi while wearing an outfit she described as a bikini or undergarments. She also called the advertisement “intentionally creepy.”
When was the GIVA advertisement released?
The Raksha Bandhan campaign featuring Kriti Sanon went live on July 20, 2026. The criticism continued online before GIVA announced its withdrawal on August 26.
What was the advertisement trying to convey?
The campaign was built around Raksha Bandhan gifting and the idea of extending family affection to pets. Kriti also explained that she and her sister share the rakhi tradition and consider their dogs part of their family.
Will Kriti Sanon’s response remain part of the controversy?
Yes. Even though GIVA has removed the advertisement, Kriti’s defence has broadened the conversation beyond the campaign itself. Her comments about women, clothing and cultural identity have become a central part of the public discussion.
