Designer Sabyasachi Drops Ad After Madhya Pradesh Minister's Threat
NDTV
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who had previously threatened to send his police force after Dabur, had warned Sabyasachi with arrest.
India's season of retracted ad campaigns found its newest corporate patron on Sunday in fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee's label as it pulled promotional material for its mangalsutra collection after a Madhya Pradesh minister threatened to send the police after him.
"In the context of making heritage and culture a dynamic conversation, the Mangalsutra campaign aimed to talk about inclusivity and empowerment. The campaign was intended as a celebration and we are deeply saddened that it has instead offended a section of our society. So we at Sabyasachi have decided to withdraw the campaign," the company said in a statement.
The move came after Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Sunday issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Mr Mukherjee, demanding that he withdraw the advertisement with an "objectionable and obscene" portrayal of mangalsutras - the traditional Hindu necklace for married women - else face arrest.
The mangalsutra advertisement by Sabyasachi's brand featured intimate portraits of women and men. After the designer shared these pictures, it sparked controversy as a section of social media users deemed it "against Hindu culture" and "obscene".