I recently came across the new print ad by KFJ Gold & Diamonds which showed a Kollywood celebrity standing next to  a sad looking young woman with the tagline "Arent girls of marriagable age  a source of tension?". The advertisement received backlash from all  quarters especially via social media. The jewellery's advertising house  resorted to a quick-fix strategy and announce that this was only a teaser and the full ad would reveal the true intentions of the statement. However, what followed as the full ad was worse. The print advertisement read.. "Arent girls of marriageable age a source of tension? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Getting your daughter's jewellery at the lowest market rate is the tension." Also, the full length TV advertisement (in Tamil) is nothing short of regressive and demeaning to women. Parents from different household keep introducing their daughters to others as "TENSION". One man says, "This is my first TENSION". 

In an age and time when Indian women have been instrumental in the success of India's Mars mission, comes an ad so regressive and blatantly insulting that it makes any sensible human being feel outraged. The ad simply reduces the role of women to being a source of tension to their family. They are being represented as mere marriageable property. This is truly revolting and an isult to their education, their achievements, their talent and more importantly their choices. Not only does the ad discriminate against us but it does on to glorify the dowry system. Is it any wonder why female infanticide is still prevalent widely in our country even in educated households?

As long as advertisements like this glorify and reinforce such regressive mentalities, the way girl children are perceived will never change. This has to stop. 

Demand an apology from the Director of KFJ Gold and Diamonds Pvt Ltd. for such a disrespectful ad. Also request the The Advertising Standards Council Of India to stop running the KFJ "Tension" advertisements on TV.