Sabyasachi’s Mangulsutra advertisement is drawing public’s ire soon after the Tanishq controversy triggered by its Kanyadan ad subsided for some time. Riya Shahi reports…
This is not the first time when an advertisement or campaign has outraged the audience to an extent that it has to be taken down.
Now the general public holds the power of social media in their hands, nothing can stop them from putting up their opinions. Indian advertisement has always gone wrong in some ways from portraying women as an object, creating a lot of misconceptions to playing with emotions of people by mocking their traditions and rituals.
The controversy over several advertisement by big Indian designers and Bollywood stars is going on from a long time and they are getting the same amount of backlash from public as well. When big stars like Alia Bhatt featuring in advertisements like Tanishq, they set a wrong example for a whole nation. And when it comes to big designers like Sabyasachi who is followed by masses, the things they portray becomes an ideal things for public.
But, we, as a public, have now become smarter and powerful, we know what is wrong and what is right and we judge every little thing. No one can put up something on us and we will just simply follow that, we have the medium of social media which gives us the power that we can make things right.
Let’s take a deep analysis at some of the most controversial advertisement by big Indian designers:
The recent controversy over Sabyasachi’s latest ‘Intimate Fine Jewellery’ collection:
Mangalsutra holds a very deep spiritual meaning in Hindu tradition which signifies the sacred union of marriage. The advertisement went all wrong when it tried to take a modern turn on a traditional one. The campaign has portrayed such an auspicious thread in a manner that mocked the traditional sentiments of Hindu population in India. A brand like Sabyasachi which is involved with all the wedding related things and is active in this industry from such a long time and this was the last thing that anyone could expect from them.
Mangalsutra is considered as a holy thing but using semi-naked models in such advertisement is only making it vulgar and the ad is directly sexualizing a women after marriage. But after getting a lot of backlash from social media the mangalsutra campaign has been withdrawn, it offended a large section of society. However, the designer is yet to apologise to public.
The Manyavar Advertisement featuring Alia Bhatt:
The advertisement featuring Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt was highly criticized by public and #boycott_Manyavar was trending all over social media. Manyavar- Mohey is one of the biggest clothing brands in India. The advertisement showed the scene of a Hindu wedding where Alia Bhatt as a bride was seen sitting on a mandap where she talks about the harsh reality of ‘Kanya Daan’.
The advertisement was made with an intention of showing that daughters are not burden to their family but its was portrayed in such a way that mocked the emotions of a large section of society and public took the ad as an attack on Hindu wedding rituals by calling the practice of Kanya-daan in itself regressive. Kanyadaan is considered as a fortunate opportunity for people who get to practice it and it holds a great meaning in Hindu marriage traditions and beliefs. The advertisement played with religious sentiments of Hindu population and was boycotted by public.
The Tanishq advertisement promoting Love Jihad:
The advertisement presented a story of a Hindu women who is married into a Muslim family, who was expecting her first child. The advertisement showed that the woman was taken to a celebration by her mother in law and the women was surprised after witnessing that the ceremony has been organized as per as Hindu Rituals. She asked her mother in law that this kind of celebration is not helping their traditions but the mother in law replied to her that ‘ The ceremony to make the daughter happy is held in every house’. The ad which wanted to depict beautiful confluence of two different religions, traditions, cultures where one family goes out of their way to celebrate an occasion that they usually don’t ended up hurting the sentiments of a large section of society.
#BoycottTanishq became an national trend as the brand was accused of promoting love jihad and inter-faith marriages. The advertisement made a lot of people angry and was questioned on many aspects. The advertisement could have been made more beautifully if Tanishq would have made it by keeping in mind the situation of India as a society. The advertisement divided the people into two sections.
Big designers and brands should be a little more sensitive before making campaigns and advertisements which involves traditions and rituals of people. A little carefulness can make it a hit and will not hurt the feelings of public in such a way that can divide them into two groups.