Outrage, Boycott Calls On Social Media Over Fabindia's "Jashn-E-Riwaaz" Diwali Ad

A Fabindia Diwali ad is the latest in a line of marketing campaigns to come under fire from social media users. Many on Twitter have taken offence to the clothing brand naming their festive collection 'Jashn-e-Riwaaz' and are threatening a boycott amid communal dialogue.

The backlash has been given weight by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders voicing concerns over the controversy. "This deliberate attempt of abrahamisation of Hindu festivals, depicting models without traditional Hindu attires, must be called out," BJP Lok Sabha member from Karnataka Tejasvi Surya tweeted Monday.

"Time to #BoycottFabIndia They don't deserve our money," party member Kapil Mishra wrote. 

A social media post by Fabindia, saying their collection "beautifully pays homage to Indian culture" that critics have quoted, stands deleted as of October 18 evening.

Deepavali is not Jash-e-Riwaaz.

This deliberate attempt of abrahamisation of Hindu festivals, depicting models without traditional Hindu attires, must be called out.

And brands like @FabindiaNews must face economic costs for such deliberate misadventures. https://t.co/uCmEBpGqsc

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 18, 2021

Earlier this year, brand Manyavar's campaign featuring Alia Bhatt, which questioned the sexism behind kanyadaan rituals, faced heat from online audiences that called it an attack on Hinduism. Read more here.

Fabindia Diwali Ad Stirs Controversy, Communal Dialogue

While many are raising issue over the name of the campaign, others are lambasting the brand for the attire presented sans bindi - both of which, a section claims, are details that do not correspond with the Hindu festival of Diwali. Though the advertisement is not displayed on the brand's official social media channels, it remains on the homepage of their website, as of October 18 evening.

"The rustle of silk the gleam of zari, the sparkle of jewels the fragrance of flowers in hair, the sweetness of mithai and the happiness of homecoming," is a description accompanying the festive collection on Fabindia's website.

Read some reactions to the campaign below: 

Wow @FabindiaNews great job at de-Hinduising Deepawali! Call it a ‘festival of love and light’, title the collection ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz’, take Bindis off foreheads of models but expect Hindus to buy your overpriced, mass produced products in the name of ‘homage to Indian culture’! https://t.co/S47g1ArUbB

— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) October 18, 2021

Deepavali is not Jash-e-Riwaaz.

This deliberate attempt of abrahamisation of Hindu festivals, depicting models without traditional Hindu attires, must be called out.

And brands like @FabindiaNews must face economic costs for such deliberate misadventures.#BoycottFabIndia pic.twitter.com/dosfutJCWH

— शुभम (@ShubhamABVP2) October 18, 2021

Tanishq
Manyavar
now FabIndia
NOT A COINCIDENCE.
This is purely sponsored by some terrorist organisations and peoples to defame Hinduism.#BoycottFabIndia pic.twitter.com/sAM9NfPiYK

— Harshal Sanjay Gohane (@Harsh_al7) October 18, 2021

Canceling All Purchasing from @FabindiaNews this year. Who names Diwali collection as Jashn-e-Riwaaz ?? NOT interested in buying. #Fabindia you can enjoy your "Jashn" with the people you are catering too. NOT US FOR SURE #BoycottFabIndia pic.twitter.com/Efi5rnDpXV

— Rosy (@rose_k01) October 18, 2021

Last year on Diwali, similar controversy erupted when jewellery brand Tanishq released an ad film calling for the festival to be celebrated without crackers. Following outrage, the brand took down their ad, replaying the sequence of events from earlier in 2020 when Tanishq pulled another ad showing an interfaith marriage. More here.

Image: FabIndia website

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