Renowned designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee was recently chastised for his ad campaign for Mangalsutra, which showed a model wearing a bra. Sabyasachi’s official Instagram page shared a series of photos of models wearing the brand’s newly launched mangalsutras.
The Royal Bengal Mangalsutra, which is part of the designer’s intimate jewellery collection, is worn by heterosexual and same-sex couples in the promotional advertisement. Models clothed in intimate attire and wearing a mangalsutra can be seen in the ad.
Twitter users slammed the ad using a Mangalsutra, a piece of jewellery worn by married women, for what they dubbed “nudity”. Ashutosh J Dubey, legal advisor to the BJP-Maharashtra, responded to the campaign by issuing a legal notice to Sabyasachi for “using semi-naked models for a Mangalsutra collection advertisement”.
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He wrote, “I have issued a Legal notice to Sabyasachi Mukherjee Indian fashion designer regarding using “semi-naked models for a Mangalsutra collection advertisement as Mangalsutra is part of Holy Hindu Marriage. He outraged the holy Hindu Marriage (Mangalsutra).”
He went on to say that there was a scientific reason behind wearing a mangalsutra and further wrote, “I say that in India majority of people associate Mangalsutra with a religious custom. There is also a sound scientific justification behind it. Hindu culture emphasises on wearing a Mangalsutra made of pure gold and it is advised that the Mangalsutra should be hidden behind the inners and your promotional advertisement features heterosexual and same-sex couples posing for pictures wearing the Royal Bengal Mangalsutra…”
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The post garnered mixed reactions. While some people thought it was a good idea for him to file the notice, others thought it was pointless. Here are some comments in favour of the move:
“Those who take too much liberty with our hindu customs ought to b taught a lesson via court.well done!”
“Eaxctly what sabyasachi wants! It has become a trend for brands to evoke negative publicity. They know no substantial action will be taken. We need to stop this non sense.”
However, here are a few of the comments of people who did not understand the reason behind taking offence to Sabyasachi’s ad campaign.
“Wait, how is a woman wearing a bra and leaning on a man contradictory to Hindu marriage?”
“You guys don’t have any other work but to be offended by all this. Grow up and be more concerned about unemployment, fuel rise, etc. Dont mislead people into controversies that are superficial.”
