Amul decided to dedicate its latest advertisement to Indian women, which, of course, is a great thing. So, why is it being criticized? The problem lies in the fact that the ad implies women belong in the kitchen, or at least, love working in the kitchen and their happiness lie in serving and taking care of their families.
For hundreds of years women have been fighting a battle for equal respect in society, and yet till this date, the identities are tied to what society expects of them.
This problematic view keeps being propagated through different mediums time and again.
The Amul ad furthers the stereotype of an adarsh Indian woman. This thought process needs to retire because it's absolutely regressive and offensive.
And honestly, these marketing gimmicks of either portaying women as adarsh naaris or being overly sexualized to sell their products, need to stop.
The ad shows women working only in the kitchen, and that is how the brand celebrates the spirit of womanhood. Centering your whole campaign around women doing household chores is every more problematic.
Here are some reactions on Twitter:
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)