The team behind the KFJ ads, that define women of marriageable age as ‘tension’, now have enough reasons to be tense themselves.
After receiving much flak for the recent set of advertisements starring Prakash Raj, the brand and the actor might just have landed themselves in more trouble.
The Advertising Standards Council of India is now looking into the matter. “We have received many complaints online against the advertisement and we are reviewing them,” said Shweta Purandare, secretary general, ASCI.
Their series of advertisements didn’t go well with many. Many on social media called the ads regressive and demeaning for women.
The ads had asked customers to SMS “Tension” to 54242 to learn how to get rid of it. Here, Prakash Raj points out to a gloomy-looking woman.
The print ads said, “ Kalyana vayasula ponnu irundhaale tension dhaane !” (A girl of marriageable age was a source of ‘tension’). A YouTube channel called ‘Tension Daughter’ played these ads, which have now been removed. Later, the jewellery released ads claiming that the actual tension lay in getting wedding jewellery at low rates of interest, but by then, the damage had been done.
Prakash Raj used Twitter to clarify his position later in the day. In a series of tweets, he said. “#kfj gold ad. With due respect to the concerns of all who have taken offence [sic]. I would like to state that it was not the intention.(cont)” “It is aimed at the mindset of people who think girl child is "tension". The ad clearly states it is the rate of gold u gift ..not the girl.”
“I respect everyone who have questioned me.. And I promise it was not intended. Hope you see it in the context of its expression .. Thank you.”
Not all are buying his argument though.
Certainly not the good folks on Twitter, and Facebook, where the responses came fast and flying: @venkymenky said, “Want to know what is regressive? Watch the new#KFJad that calls unmarried women as 'tension'.”
