Actor Priyanka Chopra has reacted to the criticised perfume advertisements for allegedly promoting rape culture. Earlier, actors Farhan Akhtar, Richa Chadha, Swara Bhasker, and singer Sona Mohapatra had also taken to Twitter and condemned the ads. The outrage was sparked by two ads by the perfume brand Layerr Shot. Several social media users have claimed the advertisements sought to promote sexual violence against women.
Taking to Twitter, Priyanka replied to Richa’s tweet. She wrote, “Shameful and disgusting. How many levels of clearances did it take for this commercial to be green lit. How many people thought this was ok? I’m so glad that it was called out and now the ministry has taken it down. Appalling!” Reacting to Priyanka’s tweet, a person wrote, "The shocking part is from the comments a lot of people actually condone the advert. How sh**t is that. Are we really not able to tell the difference between creative work and garbage!" "Worst advertisement is ever seen," commented another fan. "Totally agree with and they should get punishment immediately," read a tweet.
Sharing a tweet, Richa Chadha had written, "This ad is not an accident. To make an ad, a brand goes through several layers of decision making. Creatives, script, agency, client, casting… DOES EVERYONE THINK RAPE IS A JOKE? Revelatory! This brand, the agency that made this ad need to be sued for the filth they’re serving.”
Farhan had also tweeted, "What incredibly tasteless and twisted minds it must take to think up, approve and create these stinking body spray ‘gang rape’ innuendo ads!! Shameful.”
Referring to the Hyderabad gang-rape case, Swara tweeted, "A teenage girl was gang-raped in Hyderabad-such incidents happen daily in India.. companies like @layerr_shot choose to make TV adverts joking abt & ‘cool-ifying’ rape & gangrape. Beyond disgusting! Not just tone-deaf, also criminal! Absolutely shameful! What agency created it?” Singer Sona Mohapatra criticised the ads and wrote, "Theme - Gang-rape. Gagging after I saw it here on my Twitter timeline & wondering if giving them additional publicity is worse.”
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry asked Twitter and YouTube to remove the videos of the advertisements from their social media platforms. In letters to Twitter and YouTube, the ministry said the videos were "detrimental to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency and morality" and in violation of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code).
