Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra, and Richa Chadha slam 'beyond disgusting' perfume ad for promoting rape culture

The nation has been baffled by a recent perfume ad. Layer Shot, a perfume brand, has released two commercials that poke fun at rape and gangrape culture. When this ad appeared on TV, netizens were outraged, and it sparked a nationwide backlash. Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Richa Chadha and Swara Bhasker are among the Bollywood celebrities who have spoken out about it.

Taking to Twitter, Farhan Akhtar wrote, “What incredibly tasteless and twisted minds it must take to think up, approve and create these stinking body spray gang rape’ innuendo ad.. Shameful!"

What incredibly tasteless and twisted minds it must take to think up, approve and create these stinking body spray ‘gang rape’ innuendo ads..!! Shameful.

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) June 4, 2022

Richa Chadha took a dig at it as well, writing, “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 every everyone think rape is a joke? Revelatory!"

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. https://t.co/M3YjbljAYN

— RichaChadha (@RichaChadha) June 4, 2022

Commenting on Richa’s tweet, Priyanka Chopra called the ad ‘shameful and disgusting.’ She wrote, “Shameful and disgusting. How many levels of clearances did it take for this commercial to be greenlit. 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!”

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!

— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) June 4, 2022

It was deemed "beyond disgusting" by Swara Bhasker. She tweeted mentioning the gang rape case in Hyderabad, saying, “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?"

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? https://t.co/8tRbDTfuez

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) June 4, 2022

According to press reports, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has already ordered the commercial to be discontinued.