Kareena Kapoor Khan has praised Kriti Sanon for speaking out against the scrutiny women face over their appearance and personal choices, calling her stance “very, very brave” during a conversation on What Women Want.
Swati Bhat
The exchange moved beyond the online criticism surrounding Kriti’s recent advertisement outfit to address a wider concern: the persistent expectation that women must justify how they dress, look and live.
Kriti Sanon appeared on Kareena’s show for a segment in which the two actors responded to different situations as a ‘Boss Lady’ or a ‘Baddie’. Discussing how she handles online trolling, Kriti explained that she generally prefers not to react or give negative comments unnecessary attention. However, she said the criticism surrounding her choli had prompted her to speak up because the debate had become about something much larger than her personal experience.
“My God, I couldn't believe for half the times that my choli become, like, a six-people panel discussion on prime-time news. And I was like, what is going on?” Kriti said, describing her disbelief at the attention given to her outfit.
She explained that her decision to respond was driven by the broader pattern of scrutiny directed at women rather than a desire to defend herself against individual comments. “It's a much larger issue, where I feel like women are constantly under scrutiny for everything. And it's only women who get targeted in the smallest things,” she said. Kareena agreed that clothing choices should remain personal, reinforcing Kriti’s argument that individual preferences do not warrant public hostility.
Kriti Sanon Questions the Scrutiny Women Face
Expanding on her point, Kriti described how women are frequently subjected to commentary about their bodies, appearance and personal lives, with criticism shifting according to whatever others choose to scrutinise.
Whether a woman is considered too short or too tall, has gained or lost weight, or is questioned about a possible pregnancy, Kriti argued that ordinary aspects of life can become subjects of unnecessary public judgment.
Kareena observed that the situation had escalated beyond the expression of personal opinions. Kriti agreed, questioning why disagreement so often turns into hate.
The actor also recalled that her sister had suggested turning off comments on social media because the negativity was becoming disturbing. Kriti, however, questioned why women should have to withdraw from public conversation to avoid abuse. “I feel it's important for women to stand up for themselves because I feel like everything is such a question. And who has given this right to these people to be commenting on us for what?” she said.
She summed up her argument with a simple observation about what women want: “What women actually want is to not be judged and for people to actually mind their own business.” Her remarks placed the emphasis on the distinction between expressing an opinion and subjecting someone to sustained hostility over personal choices.
Kareena Kapoor Khan Calls Kriti’s Stand Brave
Kareena praised Kriti for addressing the issue on a programme centred on conversations about women and their experiences.
“Well, there you go, because I think that coming from her and on this show, What Women Want, it's a complete inspiration for Kriti to come here and say that, you know, this is exactly what,” Kareena said during the exchange. Kriti clarified that the issue was not limited to her own experience. She pointed to similar incidents involving other women, noting that actors can become particularly easy targets for public scrutiny. “We're also human and it affects us, and it's not fair. And it's not fair to any woman,” she said. Kareena then offered her clearest endorsement of Kriti’s response: “I think it's very, very brave of you to be a baddie. So you are a baddie.”
The remark brought the segment back to its central theme: the importance of refusing to remain silent when criticism crosses into personal attacks.
“Patriarchy Is So Embedded”: Kriti on Gender Inequality
Kriti went on to connect the conversation to the larger structures that shape expectations of women, arguing that standing up for oneself is part of challenging persistent gender inequality. “I feel very strongly about, like, standing up for yourself. Yeah. Standing up for yourself and just, like, the gender inequality that exists and patriarchy is so, like, embedded deep that we need to kind of try to shatter it multiple times for it to break,” she said. Kareena Kapoor Khan agreed with her assessment, bringing the discussion to a close.
The exchange highlighted how scrutiny surrounding women's clothing and appearance can become a wider conversation about autonomy, public expectations and the unequal standards applied to women. For Kriti, speaking out was not simply about responding to criticism of one outfit; it was about questioning why women are repeatedly expected to defend choices that should be their own.
By backing Kriti’s position, Kareena helped keep the focus on the broader issue raised during the conversation: women should be able to make personal choices without being subjected to disproportionate judgment or hostility.