Entertainment

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; August 26, 2026: The fresh war of words has erupted in Bollywood over a jewellery advertisement released around Raksha Bandhan, with actress Kriti Sanon responding sharply to comments made by actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut. Although Kriti did not mention Kangana by name, her lengthy social media message was widely seen as a response to the criticism directed at the advertisement and its choice of clothing.

At the heart of the controversy is a Raksha Bandhan-themed jewellery commercial featuring Kriti. The actress appears in an off-white Indo-Western outfit consisting of a bralette-style blouse, a cape and a draped skirt. The advertisement depicts the festive atmosphere of Raksha Bandhan and includes a scene in which Kriti ties a rakhi on her brother’s wrist.

The clothing featured in the advertisement became the subject of criticism after Kangana questioned the choice of outfit. Without directly naming Kriti, Kangana reportedly expressed her discomfort with a woman wearing what she described as a bikini or lingerie-like outfit while tying a rakhi to her brother. She questioned why such clothing was necessary when there were numerous other options available for a festive occasion.

Kriti has now responded by shifting the focus away from the advertisement itself and towards the broader question of whether a woman’s clothing should be used to judge her culture, values or respect for traditions. In a detailed social media statement, she argued that the meaning of a festival cannot be reduced to the clothes a person chooses to wear.

According to Kriti, the true beauty of a festival lies in the emotions attached to it, including love, affection, family bonds and the significance of relationships. She emphasised that traditions should be understood through the feelings and values behind them rather than through the external appearance of an individual.

“Culture and tradition do not live in a woman’s clothes, they live in her heart,” Kriti wrote in a statement that quickly attracted attention online. Her message appeared to directly challenge the idea that a particular style of clothing can determine whether a woman respects her cultural traditions.

Reflecting on Raksha Bandhan, Kriti said that the essence of the festival lies in the emotional bond between family members. She explained that the celebration is not defined by a particular outfit but by the affection, responsibility and protection associated with the relationship.

Kriti also shared an example from her own family. She revealed that she and her sister tie rakhis to each other, describing their relationship as one based on mutual love and protection. She stressed that the idea of protection should not necessarily be understood as something that only a brother can provide to a sister.

According to the actress, women can also protect, support and stand by one another in the same way. Her comments broadened the discussion beyond the advertisement and towards changing ideas about family relationships and traditional gender roles.

Kriti also included her pets in her description of family life, saying that the four-legged members of her household are equally important parts of the family. She suggested that even their pets have a place in the family’s festive celebrations and prayers, reinforcing her view that festivals are primarily about love and togetherness.

The actress then questioned society’s continuing tendency to tell women what they should or should not wear. She pointed out that ethnic fashion has evolved considerably over the years and now includes a wide range of styles, combinations and interpretations.

Kriti questioned why, despite these changes, a woman’s respect for culture is still frequently measured through her clothing. In her view, clothing is ultimately a matter of personal choice and should not automatically be treated as an indicator of a person’s morality, cultural identity or respect for family traditions.

The controversy began after Kangana reacted to the jewellery campaign and raised objections to the outfit worn by Kriti. Kangana’s comments focused specifically on the appropriateness of the clothing in the context of a traditional festival such as Raksha Bandhan.

The advertisement itself was designed around the emotional atmosphere of the festival, with the jewellery brand using the brother-sister relationship as part of its festive presentation. Kriti’s styling, however, became a bigger talking point than the product or the message of familial affection, leading to a wider discussion about fashion and cultural expectations.

Kangana’s criticism and Kriti’s subsequent response have now brought two contrasting perspectives into the spotlight. While Kangana questioned the appropriateness of the outfit in a traditional festive setting, Kriti has argued that cultural identity cannot be determined simply by the clothes worn by a woman.

Importantly, Kriti did not directly identify Kangana in her social media post. Instead, she framed her response as a broader reflection on women, clothing, culture and tradition. Nevertheless, the timing and content of the message have led many observers to connect it directly with the controversy surrounding the advertisement.

The debate has also reignited a familiar question in Indian society: how much importance should be attached to clothing when discussing culture and tradition? For some, traditional festivals are closely associated with conventional attire and established social customs. For others, traditions can evolve while retaining their emotional and cultural significance.

Kriti’s argument is that changing fashion does not necessarily mean abandoning tradition. She believes that a person can participate sincerely in cultural and religious celebrations while choosing clothing according to individual comfort and personal expression.

Her comments also underline the changing role of women in contemporary Indian society. According to Kriti’s perspective, women should not be subjected to a fixed standard of cultural behaviour based solely on their appearance. Their values, relationships and actions, she suggests, are far more meaningful measures of their respect for tradition.

The final message of her statement was particularly emphatic: culture and heritage are carried within the heart, not determined by the cut or style of a woman’s clothing.

As the debate continues online, the Raksha Bandhan advertisement has evolved into a much larger conversation about fashion, cultural identity, gender expectations and personal freedom. What began as criticism of a celebrity’s festive outfit has now raised questions about whether clothing should have the power to define a woman’s relationship with her culture.

For Kriti Sanon, the answer is clearly no. Her response places love, family, emotional bonds and personal choice at the centre of Raksha Bandhan, arguing that the spirit of a tradition should remain more important than the clothes worn while celebrating it.