Priyanka Chopra’s mother Madhu Chopra has made her views on the recent Raksha Bandhan campaign of actress Kriti Sanon’s Raksha Bandhan advertisement that she believes that individual freedom and personal choice should come with certain boundaries. Her remarks come just days after Kriti’s jewellery campaign has been criticised on social media for her outfit and the jewellery campaign was also criticised on social media and the company removed it from Kriti’s outfit in the last few days after the jewellery campaign got criticism in Indian media for the actress’s outfit and was taken off by the brand.
Madhu Chopra spoke to the media on Thursday on the sidelines of an event and was asked about the debate surrounding the advertisement. But she said the idea that “my body, my choice” is valid but it should be within certain boundaries. Personal expression also needs to be sensitive to dignity, respect and the value of the other people.
“There has to be certain boundaries. My body, my choice works in those boundaries. It is good to do it,” Madhu Chopra said in front of the media. She also added that the way in which people present themselves in such a way as to respect the values of others can be very important, especially if an advertisement is associated with a festival.
Madhu Chopra also differentiated between what is appropriate in professional or creative spaces and what people are comfortable with in a cultural context. She admitted that she and other performers (and the entertainment industry) wear clothes that are similar, but that appropriate dress can be worn if it is appropriate for the environment or setting.
But that boundary is necessary. How you put your dignity and respect other people’s values matters a lot,” she said. Her remarks have added another perspective to a debate that has been unfolding online since the Raksha Bandhan campaign featuring Kriti Sanon was released.
Kriti was depicted in an off-white outfit of a bralette-style blouse, a cape and a draped skirt in the advertisement. The campaign was designed to celebrate Raksha Bandhan but social media users felt that the outfit didn’t resemble the traditional festive advertising.
Cue criticism, which eventually forced Kriti to speak up on the matter. On August 25 she posted a note on Instagram where she said the essence of a festival should be perceived through emotions and relationships, not through the clothes in an advertisement.
Kriti’s answer came as part of a broader debate about whether festive campaigns should follow traditional ideas of Indian clothing or modern clothes can also be part of celebrations. In her comments she seemed to defend the creative choices that the campaign made and also highlighted the festival’s emotional significance.
The jewellery brand has since withdrawn the advertisement. In a statement on social media it said: “The company has the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals.” The brand had intended it to celebrate moments with families and also to extend the love and celebration to pets.
It also said if our advertisement had hurt the sentiments of some sections of society it had not been our intention, the company said, but the advertisement had unintentionally hurt some people’s sentiments.
The issue has since spread beyond Kriti’s outfit to the larger picture of freedom of expression in Bollywood, advertising standards, cultural sensitivity in India and changing fashion trends. While some social media users supported Kriti’s view that festivals are ultimately about relationships and emotions, they also felt that brands should be especially cognizant of traditional and cultural expectations regarding festivals for them to do so.
Madhu Chopra has now become a key point on the debate. Her position seems to be one of personal freedom at the same time as a reminder that individual behavior is influenced by the context of which we live. She is so much about dignity and respect as well and the delicate balance that brand and celebrity is under in the context of cultural significance that the advertisements are required to strike in the cultural context.
The episode once again makes Kriti Sanon know that Bollywood celebrities are being watched closely and in public what they wear and what they do on the show. For brands it shows how quickly festive advertising starts to be the subject of public discussion, particularly when it is presented with contemporary attire.
The Raksha Bandhan ad controversy has continued to generate reactions online, but it’s a sign of a more general trend in Indian popular culture as the two phenomena are not only inextricably related, but also more integrated as they are in India’s larger culture. How popular audiences will embrace these two sides of the product or do they expect that to come to the surface and become more traditional in look and feel continues to be questioned.
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