Myanmar Mix

Controversial director Yone Lay or “Little Rabbit” has put his paw in it again, this time for an advertisement touting flip-flops that viewers have slammed as sexist and demeaning.

On September 30, the 35-year-old posted the advertisement his “Original Gangster” page—named after his 2015 movie—and on his fan page, where it has so far attracted 167,000 reactions and 35,000 comments.

In the clip, a young woman shows different outfits to three men, who appear annoyed by her efforts until she dons a skirt, bikini top and the advertiser Mi Star's flip-flops, at which point they climb the furniture to ogle her breasts. An older man who stands up from his wheelchair also joins them. Eventually Yone Lay enters the room; the woman is then alerted to the perverts and runs towards him.

“What I see in Yone Lay’s advertisement is basically criticism of how women dress or behave and unpleasant comments made about the girl,” said activist Kashmir Kaur, 19. “The advertisement is toxic for both men and women.”

Facebook users described the video as “pretty bad and disgusting” and questioned why other crew members would take part in the production.

“Look at the level of thought that many people think at,” read one comment. “Aren’t you ashamed? Even we who look at it are ashamed.”

Yone Lay rejected criticism that the video framed sexual harassment and sexism as a laughing matter. Similar videos were made in other countries and it should be viewed only for entertainment, 7Day News Daily quoted him as saying. On October 30, he added a warning to the video that it was suitable viewing for those aged 18 and over.

The director caused controversy in August with a cringe-inducing music video imagining the attempted assassination of Aung San Suu Kyi, which he followed up with an apology.

Here’s the advertisement in question.