'Her choice': Rahul defends Kriti Sanon after Kangana's barb over Rakhi ad

On Tuesday, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, defended actress Kriti Sanon after receiving criticism over her outfit in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement. In an Instagram post, Gandhi stated, "What a woman wears, what she does and where she goes - is her choice. Stop trolling women for exercising their freedom."

This response came after Kriti addressed the controversy over her jewelry advertisement, which was released ahead of Raksha Bandhan. The advertisement featured Kriti in an Indo-Western attire comprising a bralette-inspired blouse, cape, and draped skirt while tying a rakhi. The campaign also drew criticism from actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, who questioned the choice of Kriti's outfit in the campaign.

Kriti responded to the criticism on Instagram, questioning the practice of judging a woman's respect for culture based on her clothes. She emphasized that the essence of festivals lies in the emotions and meaning behind the traditions, rather than the attire. Kriti also expressed her and her sister's prayers for each other's health, happiness, and long life, adding that the same wishes extend to their dogs, as they are considered family.

Kriti further questioned the scrutiny faced by women over their clothing and highlighted that ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but a woman's respect for her culture should be measured by her heart, not her neckline.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also expressed her disapproval of Kriti's outfit in an Instagram Story. 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?" She added, "The advert looks intentionally creepy!" The advertisement had sparked controversy on social media, with some users questioning the appropriateness of Kriti's outfit for a Raksha Bandhan campaign.