A glimpse of Tanishq ad

Hate-mongers and communal elements, miffed by the ad, indulged in vicious trolling

NEW DELHI — Tanishq, Tata Group’s popular jewellery brand, has withdrawn its advertisement film highlighting interfaith harmony after facing the vicious attack of rightwing trolls on social media.

Reports said the 45-second ad video released on Tanishq’s YouTube page on October 9 was widely shared online, depicting a North Indian Muslim family welcoming their ostensibly Hindu South Indian pregnant daughter-in-law to a baby shower ceremony called ‘pulikudi’ ritual in Kerela.

The ad shows some members donning the dress which represents the Muslim culture, and features tamarind drink made on such rituals in Kerala. As the daughter-in-law makes her entry, she is surprised to see all this even as a smile flashes across her face. She tells her mother-in-law: “But this (Hindu) ritual is not normally followed in your house, is it?” In response, the Muslim mother-in-law says:“They are following this ritual to keep daughters happy.”

Hate-mongers and communal elements, miffed by the ad, indulged in vicious trolling and some well-meaning people even ran a #BoycottTanishiq trend on social media forcing the jewellery brand to withdraw the ad. The right-wing netizens said that the ad promoted ‘love Jihad’, a rightwing bogey assuming that Muslim men dupe Hindu women into conversion as a conspiracy by faking love and marriage. The trolls demanded a reversal of religions in ad, notwithstanding the regional aspect of the ad film.

The critics of the ad warned Hindu girls not to fall for the message of communal amity in the Tanishq ad.

But there were many who slammed the rightwing bigots for taking exception to an ad that promoted the culture of harmony among communities.

Many saw the decision of the Tanishq to pull down the ad as buckling to the rightwing pressure and said it was a reflection of the India of today.

Tanishq is a jewellery brand promoted by Tata Group in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.

Previously, Tata’s Titan brand had been hailed for its progressive approach in ad campaigns and withstanding the backlash it received.