MUMBAI -- Actor Ranveer Singh, whose new advertisement for a menswear brand has been slammed on social media, feels sorry for what has happened and said that he respects women a lot.
In the latest advertisement of Jack and Jones, Ranveer, 31, is seen lifting a woman on his shoulders with the tagline 'Don't hold back. Take your work home.'
The advert was slammed by many for being sexist and for showing insensitivity towards sexual harassment of women at the workplace.
"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.
"I treat all women with utmost respect both professionally and personally and would never do anything to disrespect them," he said.
Earlier, actor Siddharth criticised the advertisement in a tweet, saying, "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.
While actors Alok Nath and Shakti Kapoor defended the advert as they felt 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 9 December.
He also has Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati in his kitty.
Bollywood Style Evolution: 1920-2014
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Open Image ModalPatience CooperYears acting: 1920–1946 (credit:Facebook/Desi Oldies: Old Indian and Pakistani Songs)
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Open Image ModalRuby MyersYears Acting: 1926-1978 (credit:YouTube/Sbhatt88)
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Open Image ModalDevika RaniYears acting: 1928–1943 (credit:Facebook/Desi Oldies: Old Indian and Pakistani Songs)
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Open Image ModalNargis DuttYears Acting: 1935-1968 (credit:Facebook/Desi Oldies: Old Indian and Pakistani Songs)
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Open Image ModalMeena KumariYears Acting: 1939-1972 (credit:YouTube/Filmi Gaane)
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Open Image ModalMadhubalaYears Acting:1942–1960 (credit:YouTube/Rajshri)
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Open Image ModalMadhubalaYears Acting:1942–1960 (credit:YouTube/Rajshri)
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Open Image ModalWaheeda RehmanYears Acting: 1955-1991, 2002-present (credit:YouTube/Lata Melody Queen)
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Open Image ModalSharmila TagoreYears Acting: 1959–present (credit:Facebook/ACTRESS SHARMILA TAGORE)
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Open Image ModalHema MaliniYears Acting: 1965-present (credit:Facebook/101 Silver Screen Stars)
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Open Image ModalRekhaYears Acting: 1966-present (credit:Facebook/Zoom TV)
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Open Image ModalSridevi KapoorYears Acting: 1967–1997,2012-present (credit:Facebook/Sridevi)
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Open Image ModalZeenat AmanYears Acting: 1971–1989, 1999–present (credit:Facebook/The Music Legends)
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Open Image ModalMadhuri DixitYears Acting: 1984–present (credit:Facebook/Madhuri Dixit - Nene)
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Open Image ModalJuhi ChawlaYears Acting: 1986–present (credit:Facebook/Juhi Chawla Türkiye Fan.)
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Open Image ModalKajol DevganYears Active: 1992-present (credit:Facebook/Sikander Khan)
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Open Image ModalAishwarya Rai BachchanYears Acting: 1997-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalAishwarya Rai BachchanYears Acting: 1997-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalPreity ZintaYears Acting: 1998-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalPreity ZintaYears Acting: 1998-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalKareena KapoorYears Acting: 2000-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalKareena KapoorYears Acting: 2000-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalPriyanka ChopraYears Active: 2000-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalPriyanka ChopraYears Active: 2000-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalDeepika PadukoneYears Acting: 2007-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalDeepika PadukoneYears Acting: 2007-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalSonam KapoorYears Acting: 2007-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalSonam KapoorYears Acting: 2007-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalAlia Bhatt Years Acting: 2012-present (credit:Getty)
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Open Image ModalAlia BhattYears Acting: 2012-present (credit:Getty)