Mumbai: Silver and demi-fine jewellery brand GIVA has officially taken down its festive Raksha Bandhan commercial featuring brand ambassador and investor Kriti Sanon across all broadcast and digital platforms. The decision follows intense online debate and trolling regarding the actor's festive attire and a narrative sequence depicting a rakhi being tied to a pet dog. To mitigate mounting controversy, the brand has issued an apology and suspended all campaign broadcasts.

The Campaign Narrative and Social Media Backlash

The 35-second commercial showcased Kriti Sanon celebrating Raksha Bandhan dressed in an ivory Indo-Western ensemble featuring a bralette-style cropped blouse, draped skirt, and cape. In the narrative, after tying a rakhi to her brother, the actor extends the ritual to her pet dog using a specialized pet-friendly rakhi from the brand's festive line.

The creative depiction drew sharp reactions from a section of netizens on social media platforms, who characterized the styling as non-traditional and objected to incorporating household pets into the religious ritual, triggering calls for a boycott of the brand.

Celebrity and Political Reactions

The controversy gained significant traction following commentary from public figures across political and entertainment spheres:


Brand Action and Formal Apology

In response to escalating boycott trends, GIVA released a formal statement clarifying that the company never intended to disrespect cultural or traditional sentiments. The brand confirmed the complete withdrawal of the campaign across digital and broadcast networks and disabled comment sections across its official social media handles to curb hostile discourse.