New Delhi: Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has taken a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “smash the patriarchy” remark, as a social media controversy surrounding actor Kriti Sanon’s outfit in a Raksha Bandhan jewellery advertisement continued to escalate.

Ranaut on Tuesday shared a post by the BJP’s Instagram account targeting Gandhi’s comments and wrote, “Bro, wait. Bharat Mata ki Jay. Shuru karte hain,” in an apparent response to his call to “smash the patriarchy”.

The BJP post featured a series of illustrated exchanges questioning the Congress’ record and positions on women-related issues. One panel showed Gandhi saying, “Smash the Patriarchy!”, followed by a woman responding, “Bro, wait. Bharat Mata ki Jay. Shuru karte hain.”

Another exchange had Gandhi repeating the slogan, while the woman questioned the Congress’ position on the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Rahul Gandhi backs Kriti Sanon

The political exchange came after Gandhi defended Sanon amid criticism of her outfit in a Rakhi advertisement.

“What a woman wears, what she does and where she goes — is her choice,” Gandhi said in an Instagram story while sharing Sanon’s response to the controversy.

“Stop trolling women for exercising their freedom,” he added, using the hashtag #SmashThePatriarchy.

The advertisement features Sanon in an Indo-Western outfit comprising a bralette, skirt and cape. The actor is seen tying a Rakhi to her brother and pet dog in the 36-second jewellery commercial.

The video triggered a debate on social media over women’s choice, cultural expectations and how Raksha Bandhan should be represented.

Kangana Ranaut criticises Sanon’s outfit

Ranaut was among those who criticised Sanon’s choice of attire, describing it as “intentionally creepy” while questioning why she chose the outfit for a traditional festival.

In an Instagram Story, Ranaut said women today have access to a wide range of clothing, from cocktail dresses and lehengas to jeans, saris, bikinis and salwar kameez.

She questioned why Sanon would choose to tie a Rakhi to her brother while wearing what she described as a bikini or undergarments, adding that the advertisement appeared “intentionally creepy”.

Kriti Sanon responds

Sanon later responded to the criticism, arguing that culture and traditions are not defined by a woman’s clothing.

“Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!... Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear?” she said in a post shared on Instagram Stories.

Sanon said ethnic fashion had evolved over the years but women were still judged on their clothes when it came to their respect for culture.

She also stressed that the essence of festivals lies in the emotions and meaning attached to traditions rather than the clothes worn.

Addressing criticism over her decision to tie a Rakhi to her dog, Sanon said Raksha Bandhan represented a bond of protection. She added that she and her sister tie Rakhi to each other and pray for each other’s health, happiness and long life, extending the same affection to their dogs because they are part of the family.