25 August,2026 02:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kriti Sanon Raksha Bandhan advertisement. Pics via X
Kriti Sanon has had enough of the internet deciding what women should and shouldn't wear. The actor recently found herself at the centre of an unexpected social media debate after her Rakshabandhan advertisement look drew criticism from a section of users, who questioned whether her outfit was appropriate for a festival rooted in Indian traditions.
Kriti appeared in an ivory lehenga paired with a deep-neck blouse and cape for the advertisement. While many loved the contemporary ethnic look, others took issue with it, with some even linking her fashion choice to culture and tradition. A few social media users went as far as calling it part of a "woke agenda".
The actor has now responded, and her message is clear - a woman's neckline is not a measure of her cultural values.
Addressing the criticism on social media, Kriti shifted the conversation away from her clothes and towards what festivals actually mean to her. "The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions," she wrote.
Speaking about Rakshabandhan, Kriti also revealed that the festival is not limited to the traditional idea of a brother protecting his sister in her family. "My sister and I tie rakhi to each other. We know we can protect each other no less than a brother would have," she said.
The actor added that she and her sister pray for each other's "health, happiness & long life", extending the same love to their dogs as well. "Afterall, they are family!" she wrote.
But it was her response to the moral policing around her outfit that struck the strongest chord. "When will we stop telling women what to wear??" Kriti asked, pointing out that ethnic fashion has evolved over the years.
Kriti questioned why women continue to carry the burden of representing culture through their appearance. "Still a woman's respect for her culture is measured with just her clothes!!" she wrote, before delivering the line that perfectly summed up her stance, "Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!"
Her response goes beyond one Rakshabandhan advertisement or one outfit. It raises a larger question that women, particularly those in the public eye, have repeatedly faced, why does a woman's choice of clothing so often become a debate about her morality, values or respect for tradition?
Kriti's answer is refreshingly simple. Festivals are about the emotions behind them, the people we celebrate with and the promises we make to one another, not whether someone's blouse fits another person's definition of "appropriate".
And perhaps that's the real conversation the trolling missed entirely. Kangana Ranaut also recently commented on and criticised her clothing in the advertisement.
