Urvashi Rautela’s appearance at the recent Miss Universe India pageant generated an all-out war online but this time, she’s not the one who is the target in the eyes of the people. A few moments into the pageant, she made a few waves as a judge who walked down the floor of the stage in a floor-length gown based on the colors and design elements in the Indian national flag.
Rautela’s stylish ensemble had saffron and green panels on both sides of the gown, and the white part was embellished with embellishments and a wheel that took inspiration from the Ashoka Chakra. The strapless corset-style outfit extended all the way to the floor for a look much like the Tricolour. The actress might have been giving a patriotic fashion signal but the outfit quickly became a target for criticism and legal argument on social media.
The actress completed the look with a high ponytail, diamond earrings, winged eyeliner and glossy pink lips. The outfit was said to be designed by international fashion designer Dasha and took around three months to create, according to Rautela. She described the day as special and highlighted the use of saffron and green in her ensemble.
But some social media users have wondered whether using the Tricolour as the central inspiration for a gown could violate any part of the national flag. And it has been argued that wearing the colours of the national flag and actually reproducing the flag or its design elements on clothing are different things, as well.
What Does the Law Say About Wearing the Indian Flag?
India has specific rules on the display and use of the national flag. The Flag Code of India lays down guidelines for how the Tricolour should be displayed, handled and treated, and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, deals with offences related to the disrespect to the national flag.
The Ministry of Culture has also been telling citizens how the national flag should be used. The national flag shouldn’t be incorporated in clothing, costumes or other items, it advised. And more broadly, the Tricolour should be treated with dignity and respect.
The controversy over Rautela’s outfit, though, is important. And the gown wasn’t an Indian national flag being worn as a piece of cloth—it was a designer outfit inspired by the Tricolour, with similar colors and an Ashoka Chakra-inspired theme.
This makes the question more complicated than whether someone can wear saffron, white and green clothing.
Is Wearing Tricolour-Coloured Clothing Illegal?
Wearing the colours of the Indian flag is not a sin by itself. People wear saffron, white and green clothes, especially for national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day.
The concern is when clothing actually reproduces the national flag or uses it in a way that could be considered disrespectful. Rules governing the national flag are particularly concerned with preventing the Tricolour from being used as ordinary dress material or placed in inappropriate positions.
The Flag Code also has provisions concerning the dignity of the flag, including restrictions on wearing or displaying it below the waist. That is why clothes so similar to the flag and down the body are a target for criticism.
In Rautela’s case, the gown’s long panels and the Ashoka Chakra-inspired design at the waist have led some people online to argue that the ensemble crosses the line between being inspired by the Tricolour and resembling the national flag itself.
And at the same time, whether this particular designer gown is legally an offence would depend on the precise facts, whether it is legally considered the national flag or just a fashion design using national colours. Social media criticism alone doesn’t imply that a criminal offence has occurred.
What About the Ashoka Chakra?
The wheel located at the centre of the gown has also attracted attention. It was said that the design was inspired by the Ashoka Chakra which is the central element of the Indian national flag.
An important national symbol, the Ashoka Chakra, is present in a fashion design but that doesn’t automatically mean the clothing is the national flag. The context, placement and overall design matter when determining if it is unauthorized use of the flag.
This is also why the distinction between patriotic colours and an actual representation of the national flag is so important.
Social Media Users Divided Over the Outfit
The internet response to Rautela’s appearance has been divided. Some people were critical of the outfit, saying that the national flag should not be a fashion statement. Some people considered the Tricolour to go below the waist or trail on the floor disrespectful.
Urvashi Rautela wore the Tricolour on stage and said she no longer feels “just Urvashi” but a part of India. 🇮🇳
— Agastya (@Augusta_6794) August 25, 2026
Some are calling it a proud tribute to the nation, while others feel turning the national flag into a fashion statement crosses a line.
What do you think — patriotism… pic.twitter.com/Bv7GomP012
Others took a less critical view, saying that the actress was wearing a designer gown inspired by the national colours rather than physically draping the Indian flag around herself. For them, the outfit was intended as a patriotic tribute rather than an attempt to insult the national symbol.
So the debate has now moved beyond fashion to a larger debate about how national symbols should be represented in popular culture.
The Bottom Line
The controversy surrounding Urvashi Rautela’s gown demonstrates the distinction between ‘wearing the colors of the Indian flag’ and ‘the national flag itself as clothing’. Residents can wear normal clothes in saffron, white and green, but the national flag is governed by certain rules to keep it dignified.
The question of whether Rautela’s gown is a legal violation is a matter of interpretation, depending on the rules and what is the fashion and how it’s done. A violation of the Tricolour because of the colours would be an oversimplification.
But the episode has revived an important question: where is the line between patriotic fashion and the improper use of a national symbol? As designers and celebrities embed national images more into their public appearances, this question will remain an ongoing one.
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