While such calling out blatant Hinduphobia and hindumisia can lead to some popularity for smaller handles and content creators, it is necessary to nip things in the bud and that is why this article is being written.
The film industry across the country blatantly peddles Hinduphobia and Hindumisia, OTT platforms churning out web series is no less. For a very long time, hinduphobic content has been mainstreamed in that it looked normal to everyone. One of the most popular ways to brainwash the public and make them mute and numb to Hinduphobia is through art and pop culture.
So what is the issue now? A less-known beauty, cosmetic, and personal care brand called PlushForHer’s latest offering caught our sight. They were advertising for a berry-based contraceptive solution. Well, the art that was used does not sit well with us.
Why use a Hindu goddess’ imagery when you talk about, of all things, a contraceptive?
The post says, “The artwork portrays the dilemmas faced by our ancient sisters – a series of “Holy” headaches. To reproduce or not, to abstain or refrain.” It also says, “In the 1st century CE, a Turkish physician suggested a berry-based contraceptive solution. Juniper berries were crushed and smeared onto the genitals before intercourse.”
What is the brand trying to convey through this advertisement? That only Hindu “sister” lived in the 1st century CE? Was Turkey Hindu during the time period mentioned? How unoriginal can you get PlushForHer? This “artwork” titled “Holy Headache” was created by an Instagram handle @dil_toons (Dilsha Rema Suthan).
Since this post and campaign were restricted to Instagram and also since the brand/artist is unknown to people, the reaction to this blasphemous creation is minimal. Unless it reaches the right people, such kind of “art” will continue to be created.
Here we list the number of times various entities – be it standup comics, big brands, or celebrities had pushed Hinduphobic/Hindumisic content in the media.
Standup comics
A little-known comedian Agrima Joshua, based in Mumbai made some flippant comments on Chhatrapati Shivaji, the Hindu Maratha King who wrote the script for the demise of the mighty Mughal empire. The comments were in bad taste and not even funny. This upset many Hindus, especially Marathas.
Another piece of casual Hinduphobia that everyone missed was from fellow ‘comedian’ Ayushi. Insulting a revered figure in Hindu Dharma known for her devotion to her husband, she has named her handle ‘@sluttysavitree’. Now if her name was Savitree, I would have thought nothing of this. But observe how our sacred spaces are so casually invaded and brushed aside as comedy!
Other people like Vir Das, Aadar Malik, Alokesh Sinha regularly indulged in Hinduphobic content as seen below.
Hinduphobic Advertisements During Festivals
Here is a list of brands that went mainstream with their Hinduphobic content, especially during Hindu festivals.
Swiggy faced criticism for defaming the festival of Holi through a controversial billboard campaign. The ad, featuring the text “Omelette; Sunny side-up; Kisi ke sarr par. #BuraMatKhelo. Get Holi essentials on Instamart,” suggested using eggs for consumption instead of traditional Holi practices like smearing colours. Netizens accused Swiggy of being ‘Hinduphobic’ and defaming the festival which led to the removal of the ‘Holi egg’ billboards.
Tanishq also faced online backlash in 2020 over a Diwali ad featuring actors Neena Gupta, Nimrat Kaur, Sayani Guta, and Alaya F discussing the festival of lights. Sayani Gupta’s appeal for a cracker-free Diwali irritated Hindus on Twitter, leading to widespread criticism. In response to the internet’s ire, Tanishq decided to remove the ad,
Fabindia faced backlash from Hindus over an ad for its festive line titled ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz’, which appropriated the Hindu festival Diwali by using Urdu, a language associated with Muslims.
Bharat Matrimony, the matrimonial website, made an advertisement for Holi literally calling it a festival of sexual harassment, under the garb of giving out a message on International Women’s Day which coincided with Holi in March 2023. The ad began with a woman with her face covered with colours of Holi. She then proceeds to wash away the colors with water.
Then her face is shown with a black eye and bruises on her face. This is followed by a written message stating, “Some colours don’t wash away easily. Harassment during Holi leads to immense trauma. Today, a third of these women who have faced this trauma have stopped playing Holi.”
Surf Excel’s Holi ad depicted a girl protecting her Muslim friend from colors, perpetuating the narrative of Hindus smearing Muslims with colors. The ad received severe backlash for pushing a divisive agenda.
Dabur Fem Ad for Karwa Chauth featured a same-sex couple celebrating Karwa Chauth, deviating completely from what the festival actually stands for and who must perform the rituals. The ad was removed after backlash from Hindus.
Javed Habib’s Durga Puja Ad – This ad for Javed Habib’s salon, depicted deities waiting for a haircut and received criticism for being an insult to Durga Mata and Hindus.
Red Label’s Ganesh Chaturthi ad depicted a Hindu man having a change of heart after a cup of tea with a Muslim. The ad received backlash for showing Hindus in a poor light.
Other instances of Hinduphobia in media
Tanishq encountered widespread backlash from netizens in 2020 over an advertisement showcasing a Hindu-Muslim wedding. The ad faced accusations of promoting ‘Love Jihad,’ and the hashtag #BoycottTanishq gained significant traction on Twitter. The brand ultimately decided to remove the ad due to the intense criticism it received online.
Manyavar’s ‘Kanyamaan’ ad featured Alia Bhatt where she is seen challenging the ‘Kanyadaan’ ritual in Hindu marriages, suggesting ‘Kanyamaan’ as a “progressive” alternative. It drew criticism for portraying Hindu customs such as Kanyaadaan negatively and sparked backlash for selectively targeting Hindu rituals.
Brooke Bond’s Kumbh Mela Ad: In 2019, Brooke Bond released an ad where a son leaves his elderly father at the Kumbh Mela, implying abandonment. The ad was criticized for misusing the Kumbh Mela context, showing Hindus as bad people who abandon their parents, and ultimately demeaning Hindu culture, thereby enabling Hindumisia.
AU Small Finance Bank Ad featured Bollywood actors Kiara Advani and Aamir Khan depicting a Hindu wedding but inverting traditional gender roles.
It faced backlash for hurting Hindu sentiments, with calls for boycotting both the bank and Aamir Khan.
HDFC Bank’s “Vigil Aunty” Ad: HDFC Bank’s campaign featuring ‘Vigil Aunty’ raising awareness about financial fraud faced criticism on social media. The woman, with a stop-sign-like bindi, sparked accusations of Hinduphobia, leading to the hashtag #antihinduhdfc trending on social media.
Netizens expressed dissatisfaction, with comments suggesting disdain for Hindus and making fun of the bindi, leading to concerns about the bank being “anti-Hindu.”
Amazon
E-commerce giant Amazon carried several products such as books, and controversial books such as ‘Deadly Bhagavat Geeta’ on its platform. Amazon sold products featuring images of Hindu deities, including toilet mats, commode seat covers, and shoes, prompting widespread condemnation on social media. Amazon Canada faced backlash for selling offensive items with Hindu gods’ images on various products.
Pop Culture/Cartoons
Sandeep Adhwaryu, chief cartoonist of Times of India, published a cartoon depicting a rape case in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. The cartoon was blatantly Hinduphobic portraying Hindus prioritizing cow worship over aiding a brutalized girl. Adhwaryu selectively represented the incident, ignoring instances where a cow-worshipping priest helped the victim.
Such imagery and “Art” are similar to Nazi propaganda against the Jews. Such depictions contribute to dehumanizing Hindus and perpetuating negative stereotypes.
These are some of the umpteen instances that reflect a trend of wokeism in advertising, where Hindu festivals, cultures, and rituals are portrayed negatively, contributing to a growing criticism of selective targeting and biased narratives. These ads collectively perpetuate stereotypes, always portraying Hindus negatively in various scenarios – be it when it comes to festivals or involving interfaith interactions, or denigrate our Hindu deities into pedestrian characters and show them in a derogatory fashion like the social media post for PlushForHer.
We can ignore but to what extent, we have been ignoring the mockery of our Hindu culture and tradition for centuries and this has played a major role in most of the Hindus out there becoming HINOs. Our Dharma, our religion (for want of a better word) is not a plaything or something that can be mocked. No true Hindu must stay mute when they see such banners, billboards, ads, and social media posts, especially from brands.
