Shibani Dandekar, TV presenter and wife of Farhan Akhtar, took to her Instagram handle to post a picture of herself sporting a ‘mangalsutra’ on the occasion of Karwa Chauth by the designer brand Bulgari. The auspicious Hindu festival Karwa Chauth was celebrated across the world on Thursday, October 13.
The actor and reality TV personality also shared a note on how she did not fast for Farhan during the festival celebrated by married Hindu women. “Immortalizing my first-ever Karwachauth with this beautiful & timeless @bulgari Mangalsutra. Needless to say, I didn’t fast but the Love & Banter for @faroutakhtar says it all. Let’s celebrate Love. #HappyKarwaChauth #Bulgari #bulgariMangalsutra #BulgariJewelry #Bzero1 #Collab
The post triggered social media users who called out Dandekar for cashing in on the Hindu festival without actually believing in it. “Karwa Chauth a day of immense importance for many women has been reduced to this ?! She doesn’t fast, she doesn’t celebrate and in private probably ridicules it but yes she will use the day to make some money by selling a product.. slow clap !” wrote the Instagram handle which goes by the name snoopy6752.
Another Twitter user slammed Dandekar for using the festival merely for commercial benefits.
Dandekar also became the target of some so-called ‘feminists’ who lambasted her for wearing a symbol of ‘patriarchal oppression’. “Not fasting but promoting yet another patriarchal symbol that’s mangalsutra? Why should women be announcing their ‘taken’ status by wearing or promoting such discriminatory rituals?” wrote a user going by the handle merakimojo.
In fact, on Monday, Shibani took to Instagram Stories and shared a screenshot of Instagram users discussing her recent Karwa Chauth post. Shibani Dandekar wrote a note in response to a screenshot posted originally on Instagram Stories by former India Today journalist Aishwarya Subramanyam. It showed an exchange between two users, where one had said, “Very surprised Shibani Dandekar got on the KC (Karwa Chauth) wagon. Or maybe I should not be surprised… all monetary.” Responding to the users’ DM to herself, Aishwarya, also known as Otherwarya on social media, had written, “Please never be surprised.” Sharing their exchange on Instagram Stories, she also added, “All. Celebrities. Are. The Same.”
It may be recalled that the former India Today journalist ‘Otherwarya’ (Aishwarya Subramanyam) had had a similar meltdown over Priyanka Chopra’s last year’s photoshoot with Vogue magazine where she had also sported a ‘mangalsutra’ by the designer brand Bulgari.
Shibani Dandekar shared on Instagram Stories how ‘nasty’ people were speaking about her Karwa Chauth post.
Reacting to this exchange shared on Instagram, Shibani wrote about Otherwarya, who often shares posts on celebs and pop culture, “There is a not-so-new bully in town.” Shibani continued by writing, “My mind is blown by how incredibly nasty people are. Aishwarya you are as nasty as they come. This is how you spend your time? Spreading hate on the internet? At least have the b***s to tag me like I’m going to tag you @otherwarya. P.S. I am stating the obvious. I really do not need life advice from you! How sad that you have become this brave keyword warrior and think we will all sit here and take your bulls*** and be silent!”
Social media users slam Richa Chadha for hypocrisy after she promoted Bulgari mangalsutra
Interestingly, a week earlier, actress Richa Chadha, who had recently married actor Ali Fazal, enraged some social media users who accused her of not believing in the sanctity of the Hindu marriage system or the sacredness of a ‘mangalsutra,’ but displaying it solely to promote the brand.
Notably, last year, Priyanka Chopra’s Bulgari mangalsutra photoshoot also triggered ‘feminists’ who had called it a ‘symbol of patriarchal oppression.’
One Twitter accused Chopra of ‘exploiting’ feminism for personal economic gains, while another feminist slammed the actor for making a lot of money by partnering with Bulgari for mangalsutra. She then compared the holy symbol of matrimony to dowry, a social evil and claimed to mock the same.
In fact, not just these, former India Today journalist Aishwarya Subramanyam, too, had an elaborate meltdown over Priyanka Chopra’s photoshoot. She even went on to mock other Hindu symbols like the Janeu, ‘that Brahmin thread thingy’ as described by her friend.
In fact, not just that, she even held a Clubhouse discussion on the same. Earlier, Subramanyam was found justifying the rape culture of the ‘woke liberals’ after a Clubhouse conversation normalising rape culture went viral on social media. She was also part of the Clubhouse discussion where other social media influencers like Kusha Kapila discussed having ‘hate sex’ with Sanghis.
