MUMBAI: After a big controversy over its Ekatvam (oneness) ad about an interfaith marriage, netizens have once again raised calls to 'Boycott Tanishq' on Twitter following the release of a 'no-firecracker Diwali' film by the jewellery brand. The latest ad features actors Neena Gupta, Alaya Furniturewala, Nimrat Kaur and Sayani Gupta.
In the video, the ladies are seen talking about the importance of being together with family, mithai, food and celebrating the festival of lights without any firecrackers. What did not go down well with netizens is the definition of Diwali by Sayani Gupta. She says in the ad, "I am hoping to be able to meet my mum after really long. Definitely no firecrackers, I don't think anyone should light any firecrackers. But a lot of diyas, lot of laughter hopefully and lot of positivity."
Teach a lesson to @TanishqJewelry
Majority Indians are thinking to take @TanishqJewelry head on & #ThisDiwali_BoycottTanishq
Many'll refrain themselves from buying anything from them.
They termed Hindus as violent in their apology last month
Let's show them our legal might pic.twitter.com/qXPVQQEOGG
— SantySingh6791 (@singh6791) November 10, 2020
On this, certain sections of social media criticized the brand for advising Hindus on how to celebrate the festival. BJP national general secretary from Karnataka CT Ravi lashed out at the jewellery brand and said, "Why should anyone advise Hindus how to celebrate our festivals? Companies must focus on selling their products, not lecture us to refrain from bursting crackers. We will light lamps, distribute sweets and burst green crackers. Please join us. You will understand Ekatvam," taking a dig at Tanishq's eponymous campaign.
Sayani Gupta took to Twitter to react to the controversy and the #BoycottTanishq trend and said, "Just witnessing how a universal issue of Air Pollution (at a terrible level right now especially in Delhi and NCR), getting politicised and bigotted in the name of religion!! Unbelievable!! What have they done to our country! This is what systemic hate does to people. #astounded."
Amid this widespread backlash, Tanishq withdrew the ad partially. The 50-second commercial has been withdrawn from Twitter and YouTube, but continues to be on the company's Instagram page.
Last month, the outrage brigade had accused the jewellery brand of promoting what they called 'love jihad' through an ad campaign.
The Tanishq 'Love Jihad' ad that has now been taken down. Disgusting! pic.twitter.com/QuS1XBTVIO
— Kashyap B (@YearOfTheKraken) October 12, 2020
Tanishq crafted a digital film that depicted the story of a Hindu woman, married into a Muslim family. In the advert, the young woman, expecting her first child, is escorted to the garden by her gracious mother-in-law for a baby shower ceremony. The young woman is surprised to see that the ceremony has been organised as per Hindu rituals. She asks her mother-in-law, "Par yeh rasam toh aapke ghar mein nahi hoti hai na? (But this ceremony is not celebrated at your place, isn't it?)," and is told, "Bitiya ko khush karne ki rasam toh har ghar mein hoti hai na? (The ceremony to make the daughter happy is held in every house, isn't it?)."
