Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who recently faced a lot of criticism over the new advertisement of fashion brand Jack & Jones, has issued an apology over the controversy.
Ranveer has stated that he respects women a lot both personally and professionally.
The actor further asserted that he would never to anything to disrespect woman and is upset over the entire incident.
In the recent Jack and Jones, Ranveer was seen lifting a woman on his shoulders with the tagline 'Don't hold back. Take your work home.' The advertisement invited flak for the brand and Ranveer Singh for being sexist. It was stated that the ad has displayed utmost insensitivity towards sexual harassment of women at the workplace.
However, Ranveer clarified his stand over the controversy in an official statement
"It was important to give the brand the creative freedom while designing the campaign but I guess we got it wrong on one of those billboards. I am sorry this happened but it is a thing of past. We rectified it immediately by having the hoarding taken down as early as possible from over 30 cities overnight," Ranveer said in a statement here.
Earlier, actor Siddharth too had criticised the advertisement on micro-blogging site Twitter and wrote, "A new low for women's rights in the workplace in India. What were they thinking? #Fail."
Actress Rupa Ganguly said that one should be a little careful while designing an advertisement.
"Probably (the ad) meant something and may be understood by some people as something else. People sometimes don't get it properly and sometimes they get offended," she said.
On the other hand veteran actors Alok Nath and Shakti Kapoor voiced their opinions in support of the advertisement and said that it was done in good humour.
"I mean come on, have a little funny bone in your body. It is just a little ad, why is everybody so stuck up about it unnecessarily... It is your interpretation that it is offending, you can interpret it in any which way," Nath said.
Kapoor added, "I have not seen the board (billboard) but then I feel there is nothing wrong in it... I don't think it is a big deal."
On the work front, Ranveer is gearing up for the release of Aditya Chopra directed film "Befikre", which is slated to release on December 9.
Besides, he has also been roped in for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming magnum opus ‘Padmavati’ also starring Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor. Ranveer Singh will be seen playing the lead antagonist Allauddin Khilji.
(With PTI Inputs)
