New Delhi: The advertisement of leading jewellery chain Malabar Gold and Diamond for Akshaya Tritiya featuring Kareena Kapoor sparked controversy for missing bindi, calling it a “blatant disregard” for tradition. The actress fell prey to the trolls of netizens for not wearing bindi on her forehead, as she joined the brand for their festive special collection.
The advertisement shows Kareena wearing an embellished pink lehenga, paired with a heavy diamond neckpiece, huge earrings, and a maang tika. However, was caught the attention of the netizens is the absence of bindi on Kareena’s forehead.
Netizens criticised the brand for promoting a Hindu festival without the proper depiction of a Hindu married woman. They also slammed the brand for portraying a ‘Muslim married woman’ for the launch of a Hindu festival ad. These reasons agitated the netizens on social media with several hashtags such as #BoycottMalabarGold, #BoycottKareenaKapoorKhan, and #NoBindiNoBusiness becoming top trends.
One of the netizens stated, “The same Malabar gold which ran a quiz on #Pakistan Independence Day now runs ads with Kareena Kapoor Khan without bindi for Akshaya Tritiya campaign. What does this show?” while another user wrote, “The general belief is that making female models appear without bindis to sell their products, which they market as specific to the Hindu festivals, is done deliberately to wipe out the symbolic significance of the bindi for a Hindu woman.”
The same Malabar gold which ran a quiz on #Pakistan Independence Day now runs ads with Kareena Kapoor Khan without bindi for Akshaya Tritiya campaign
What does this show ?#No_Bindi_No_Business pic.twitter.com/KCt6hDkTDN
— Aravinda Baliga (@baliga_2012) April 22, 2022
The general belief is that making female models appear without bindis to sell their products, which they market as specific to d hindu festivals, is done deliberately to wipe out the symbolic significance of the bindi for a hindu woman.#Boycott_MalabarGold #No_Bindi_No_Business pic.twitter.com/Wgzi8RTZFu
— Sriravi (@Sriravi99165873) April 22, 2022
Here are some other reactions of the netizens:
While applying kumkum, the points on the mid-brow region and Adnya-chakra are automatically pressed. This facilitates the blood supply to the face muscles.#No_Bindi_No_Business#Boycott_MalabarGold pic.twitter.com/vOX9Wij3cC
— Nutana (@Nutana9) April 22, 2022
Kumkum is a form of Shakti. Applying kumkum on the forehead is a symbol of Sanatan Hindu culture and also of sacredness and auspiciousness.
Applying kumkum in the parting is also a symbol of the marital status of the woman !#No_Bindi_No_Business #Boycott_MalabarGold pic.twitter.com/ua9shKDF64
— Ravichandra B M (@RavichandraBM7) April 22, 2022
The flows of Shakti are attracted in the kumkum. A spiral of destroyer Shakti filled with particles of Dharma Shakti is created in the kumkum and it becomes activated.#Boycott_MalabarGold #No_Bindi_No_Business pic.twitter.com/FSf4fZILby
— Jayanti Moger (@MogerJayanti) April 22, 2022
#No_Bindi_No_Business #Boycott_MalabarGold
Whole world knows bindi is a part of our traditional practices, worn in reference to center of consciousness, a symbol of India’s culture and tradition.? Are they not aware of the fact??,
sometime controversy creates good PR pic.twitter.com/sHE2wumSnv— Santosh Kumar (@santosh_joshi) April 22, 2022
Attacks on Hindus and their culture is predominant today!
On one hand,their festivals are termed as misogynistic,primitive
On the other,various ads trivialize Hindu customs & try to mainstream anti-Hindu fashion statements
Hindus,beware#Boycott_MalabarGold#No_Bindi_No_Business pic.twitter.com/ZPAHvF656a— Chetan Charwad (@ChetanCharwad) April 22, 2022
Hindus protest against ‘Malabar Gold’s advt. for #AkshayTritiya showing Kareena Kapoor Khan without bindi
Why no bindi for Hindu festivals?So, #No_Bindi_No_Business#Boycott_MalabarGold pic.twitter.com/UfzKn2y1Mf
— Ganesh Pansare (@GA_Pansare) April 22, 2022
Aside from the gold jewelry that characterize much of the Indian subcontinent’s culture, one of d most internationally-known body adornments worn by Hindu women is the bindi, a red dot applied between the eyebrows on Forehead !
So.. If #No_Bindi_No_Business #Boycott_MalabarGold pic.twitter.com/OzIZvhuKN1
— Sujan H P (@Sujan_hp) April 22, 2022
Bindi as believed by Hindus is more than just a red dot.
If brands like @Malabartweets do not try to understand or intentionally ignore it, then it is time that Hindus need to show them the door ! #Boycott_MalabarGold #No_Bindi_No_Business pic.twitter.com/wdanuIGkT1
— Sanatan Prabhat (Kannada) (@Sanatan_Prabhat) April 22, 2022
Also, in October 2021, even Tanishq faced backlash from netizens for allegedly promoting love jihad. Later, the company withdrew the advertisement.
