Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan is trending on Twitter Friday morning for appearing in an advertisement for Malabar Gold and Diamonds, on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. A section of social media users are protesting against Kareena, who 'married a Muslim', being featured in an ad for a Hindu festival.
Users also said the ad was an 'insult to the Hindu religion' as Kareena appears without a bindi. #No_Bindi_No_Business, #Boycott_MalabarGold is also trending on Twitter. Kareena has been endorsing the Kerala-based jewellery retailer for a long time now.
In recent times, brands have faced social media backlash over various advertisements. In October 2020, Tata's jewellery brand Tanishq had to withdraw an ad on interfaith marriage after massive backlash. The ad drew severe criticism from a section of users who alleged it promoted 'love jihad'. A month later, the brand also faced backlash for a Diwali ad that called for cracker-free celebrations.
On the work front, Kareena is awaiting the release of Laal Singh Chadha, also featuring Aamir Khan. Laal Singh Chadha, the official remake of Tom Hanks' Hollywood blockbuster Forrest Gump, marks the two Bollywood stars' third collaboration after 3 Idiots (2009) and Talaash (2012). She recently announced she is set to make her OTT debut with a Netflix film, to be directed by filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh. Kareena, who was last seen on the big screen in 2020 movie Angrezi Medium, called the project the beginning of an "electrifying" journey.