Priyanka Chopra's mother says 'my body, my choice with limits'; reacts to Kriti's ad

Priyanka Chopra's mother Madhu Chopra has entered the row over Kriti Sanon's GIVA Raksha Bandhan advertisement. Her remarks have added to the wider debate on women's clothing, festivals and cultural respect.

In Short

• Madhu Chopra supports 'my body, my choice' but urges dignity and boundaries
• She says attire should suit the occasion and respect cultural values
• Madhu defends her children’s freedom to wear what they like at work

Actor Priyanka Chopra's mother Madhu Chopra has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Kriti Sanon's Raksha Bandhan advertisement for jewellery brand GIVA. While acknowledging the idea of "my body, my choice", Madhu said that the freedom should come with "boundaries" and that people should be mindful of "dignity" and the values associated with an occasion.

Speaking at the Women Building Cinema Together event in Mumbai, Madhu said, "My body, my choice is right, but woh daayra zaruri hai. Dignity, respecting other people's values is important. Ab yeh cheezein aisi jagah kar sakte hai jahan par yeh normal hai. Par yeh yahan normal nahi hai. Sorry to say that. (Of course, my body, my choice, is absolutely true however, there should be some boundaries and limitations. There should be dignity, respecting people's values. You can wear such things where they are normal, but in this case this is not normal. Sorry to say)."

Madhu was also asked about her daughter Priyanka Chopra and how she has often worn revealing or Western outfits for work. Defending her children's freedom to dress as they wish, she said in Hindi, "My kids also wear such clothes, for work and because they like wearing them, but I also feel they need to look good aesthetically as per the occasion. If it's not looking aesthetic, it will draw criticism."

Madhu's comments come days after Kriti Sanon faced backlash over her Raksha Bandhan advertisement for GIVA. The actor's Indo-Western outfit, comprising a bralette-style blouse, a cape and a draped skirt, became the focus of criticism online, with several social media users questioning whether the look was appropriate for a traditional Indian festival.

The advertisement featured Kriti tying a rakhi to her onscreen brother as well as her pet dog. Following the backlash, GIVA pulled the advertisement from all media and issued a statement saying it had "the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions, and festivals", while apologising if the campaign had inadvertently hurt the sentiments of some sections of society.

Kriti, however, defended both the advertisement and her choice of clothing. In an Instagram Story, she questioned why people were so bothered by another woman's outfit and wrote, "The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear; it is in the emotions and meaning you attach to the traditions."

She further argued that women should not be told what to wear and said, "Culture and traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline."

The controversy has since grown into a wider debate over how women are expected to dress for festivals and traditional occasions, and whether cultural respect should be determined by what a woman wears.

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