Remember the online trolling Kriti Sanon faced over her outfit in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement? The Bollywood diva was severely criticised for her choli, which became a “national debate”, with trolls even targeting her family members.
Speaking to Kareena Kapoor on her show What Women Want, Kriti opened up about the controversy and explained why she decided to speak up. The Mimi actor also highlighted how women were constantly judged for their clothes, physical appearance and personal choices, with their families sometimes becoming targets of online abuse.
Kriti Sanon Recalls Her Choli Becoming A ‘National Debate'
Kriti said she generally avoided responding to negative comments because she did not want to give trolls unnecessary attention. However, the backlash over her Raksha Bandhan advertisement compelled her to break her silence.
“I don't pay attention to any of the trolls. I don't pay heed to them. I feel like I don't need to justify anything because I don't want to give them that attention. I let it pass. I don't say anything, normally; I don't react. But, which is something that happened recently, my choli became a national debate (My God),: she said.
"I couldn't believe that half of the time my choli had become a six-person panel discussion on prime-time news. I was like, ‘What is going on?' And, normally, I don't say anything, but the trolling had happened much before that, and that's where I felt that I needed to be a baddie.”
Kareena praised Kriti for speaking up against the criticism, telling her, “Which you did, and it was absolutely amazing.”
Explaining why she felt there was a need to address the controversy, Kriti said the issue was much bigger than her outfit. She pointed out that women are routinely subjected to scrutiny over even the smallest things.
Agreeing, Kareena emphasised that women should have the freedom to decide what they want to wear without being subjected to unnecessary criticism.
‘What's With The Hate?'
Kriti further spoke about how women are judged for almost every aspect of their lives, from their clothes and physical appearance to their weight and pregnancy.
“And, what you want to wear… She's too short, too tall, she's put on weight, she's looking too thin, or is she pregnant?” she said.
The actress also pointed out how Kareena herself has faced scrutiny over her appearance and eating habits, asking, “How many times have you had to justify that you had pizza and pasta and wine?”
Kareena, too, expressed frustration over the constant commentary on women's personal choices.
Kriti acknowledged that everyone was entitled to have an opinion about an outfit but said that expressing a preference is different from subjecting someone to personal attacks. However, she felt that online criticism had crossed a line.
Asking Kareena about the growing hostility women face on social media, Kriti said, “Bebo, the amount of hate that happens! What's with the hate?”
“Yeah, that was very unnecessary,” Kareena responded.
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Kriti Sanon Reveals Trolls Abused Her Family
Kriti also spoke about the disturbing comments directed at her family members during the controversy. The actor said she did not usually read comments on social media but was particularly upset when she learnt that her parents and sister had been targeted.
"And, I don't understand because I feel like...I don't read comments under the posts, I am not of that habit but I feel, sometimes people just get so nasty and people who are talking about culture, respect, were ironically the ones who were commenting on my parents and sister's post in the nastiest abusive language," she said.
Questioning why her family had to bear the brunt of the controversy, Kriti added, "But you know, they read all this. What have they done?"
Kareena acknowledged that the abuse must have been upsetting for Kriti's family.
Kriti added, "It's important for women to stand up for themselves because everything is such a question, and who has given this right to these people to be commenting on us for what? What women actually want is to not be judged, and for people to actually mind their own business. It's happened to multiple people, and actors are the easiest targets. It's not just me, and recently, it's happened with multiple people, and it's so sad," she said.
Concluding her thoughts, Kriti reminded people that celebrities are human beings too and are affected by online hate.
"We are also humans and it affects us and it's not fair to any woman," she added.
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What Was The Controversy?
The controversy erupted shortly before Raksha Bandhan when Kriti appeared in a jewellery brand's advertisement wearing an outfit with a plunging neckline. The look drew criticism on social media, with some users claiming that it was inappropriate for the festival.
Amid the backlash, Kriti issued a statement defending her outfit and highlighting the significance of the festival beyond clothing.
"The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions. Rakshabandhan is a bond of protection. 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.
Questioning the tendency to judge women by their clothing, the actress added, "Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear?? Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but still a woman's respect for her culture is measured with just her clothes!! Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!"
Following the backlash, the jewellery brand withdrew the advertisement from all media platforms.
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