What began as a festive advertising campaign featuring Kriti Sanon has now turned into a wider debate over fashion, culture, women’s choices and the way Indian festivals are represented in modern advertising. Jewellery brand GIVA has withdrawn its Raksha Bandhan advertisement after it faced criticism online, bringing Kangana Ranaut, Rahul Gandhi and Kriti’s sister Nupur Sanon into the conversation.The advertisement featured Kriti in an ivory ethnic ensemble while celebrating Raksha Bandhan. The campaign also presented a contemporary take on the festival by showing Kriti tying a rakhi to her pet dog, with the brand attempting to portray pets as part of the family.However, the campaign soon came under criticism, particularly over Kriti’s outfit and the way the traditional festival was portrayed. Kangana Ranaut was among those who strongly objected to the advertisement. Questioning Kriti’s choice of outfit, Kangana criticised the campaign on social media and described it as “intentionally creepy.”Kriti Sanon later responded to the criticism, arguing that a woman’s clothing should not be used to determine her connection with Indian culture or traditions. Defending the spirit of Raksha Bandhan, she emphasised that traditions are ultimately about emotions, relationships and family. “Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!” Kriti said in her response. She also explained that Raksha Bandhan represents a bond of protection in her family and that she and Nupur tie Rakhi to each other. She added that their pets are also considered family.Nupur Sanon subsequently came out in support of her sister. Sharing Kriti’s response, Nupur questioned why another woman’s clothing should become a matter of such intense public concern. Her reaction added another voice to the debate over whether cultural values should be judged through a woman’s appearance.The controversy took another turn when Rahul Gandhi joined the discussion. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi shared Kriti’s statement on Instagram Stories and backed her broader argument about women having the freedom to make their own choices without being subjected to moral policing.All this hullaballoo soon sparked a debate over whether contemporary fashion can coexist with traditional celebrations and whether a woman’s clothing should have any bearing on how her cultural values are perceived.Amid the growing controversy, GIVA issued an official statement and announced that it had withdrawn the advertisement from all media.The brand said: “We have the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals.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. Out of respect, we have withdrawn the said advertisement from all media. Wish you all the love & positivity this festive season! ❤️🙏🏻”Check here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfQWS-PSJo/?igsi=MWZvZ29kcXVwa3Rraw%3D%3DGIVA clarified that the campaign was intended to celebrate Raksha Bandhan as a festival of family and togetherness, while extending that sentiment to pets. However, after acknowledging that the advertisement had hurt the sentiments of some sections of the audience, the brand chose to withdraw it.The decision brings the advertisement controversy to a close from GIVA’s side, but the debate it triggered continues to raise questions about fashion, feminism, cultural identity and the changing way Indian festivals are presented in advertising.Tanishq’s 2020 Ekatvam campaign pull backAnother jewellery advertisement controversy had earlier erupted around Tanishq’s 2020 Ekatvam campaign, which showcased an interfaith family coming together for a traditional Hindu baby-shower ceremony. The advertisement faced intense social-media backlash and boycott calls over its portrayal of a Hindu woman married into a Muslim family, prompting Tanishq to withdraw the campaign while citing hurt sentiments and the wellbeing of its employees and partners.