Pooja Bhatt criticizes Dabur for pulling out advertisement on lesbian couple: ‘Pity it refused to stand behind ad’

Filmmaker-actor Pooja Bhatt on Wednesday criticised Dabur India Limited after it withdrew an advertisement featuring a lesbian couple celebrating Karwa Chauth. Dabur also apologised after Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra criticised the ad.

Taking to Twitter, Pooja Bhatt wrote, “Bas yahi karte raho (keep doing this).. slam, bam, ban! So much for being the ‘Mother’ of democracy! Pity a giant like #Dabur refused to stand behind their AD. While I don’t endorse a fairness cream in principal I reserved my comment as they attempted to celebrate Inclusivity & #PRIDE So why hide now?”

The advertisement, a cream bleach product of Dabur, showed a same-sex couple celebrating Karva Chauth. As part of the festival, married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands. Dabur had shared the advertisement on several social media platforms on Saturday, a day before Karwa Chauth was celebrated.

In a statement on Twitter, Dabur said, “Fem’s Karwachauth campaign has been withdrawn from all social media handles and we unconditionally apologise for unintentionally hurting people’s sentiments.”

Later speaking with Hindustan Times, Narottam had said, “I had asked to send a warning to withdraw the advertisement before registering an FIR for hurting religious sentiments. It’s good that they withdrew the advertisement and also tender apology for that.”

In a statement, Narottam had said on Monday, “I consider this a serious matter. More so because such advertisements and clippings are made on the rituals of Hindu festivals only. They (the advertisement) showed lesbians celebrating Karva Chauth and seeing each other through a sieve. In future, they will show two men taking ‘feras’ (marrying each other according to Hindu rituals). This is objectionable.”

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According to news agency PTI, he had said that he also reached out to the Director General of Police (DGP) to ask the company to withdraw this advertisement. “And if it fails to do so, take legal steps after examining the advertisement,” he had added.