Amid Ranveer Allahbadia row, a look at comedians like Munawar Faruqui, Kapil Sharma and others who were mired in lawsuits for their jokes

Ranveer Allahbadia, often known as BeerBiceps, has received harsh criticism for delivering vulgar jokes on comedian Samay Raina's talent show, India's Got Latent. His statements, which were widely slammed as crude and disrespectful, provoked fury on social media, with many calling him out for his lack of sensitivity.

Ranveer debuted on India's Got Latent as a panellist, alongside content makers Ashish Chanchlani and Apoorva Makhija, also known as The Rebel Kid. However, once fragments from the disputed program were available online, viewers condemned certain jokes as filthy. In one clip, Ranveer is seen asking a contender a question that got him in hot water. He posed the question: "Would you rather watch your parents have s*x every day for the rest of your life or join in once to make it stop forever?" This topic brings to mind other stand-up comedians who have received public criticism for their remarks.

Munawar Faruqui became embroiled in controversy in 2021 when he was detained for reportedly making derogatory remarks about Hindu deities and Home Minister Amit Shah while performing stand-up in Indore. Despite claims that he never said the words, the outcry was tremendous, resulting in many concert cancellations and heated disputes over free speech in comedy.

Furthermore, in 2024, Faruqui, the Bigg Boss 17 champion, made an inappropriate joke regarding Konkani people. During a concert in Taloja, Mumbai, he said, "Konkani log chu**** banate hai" (Konkanis trick others). Many individuals took offence to this statement and called him out on social media. After receiving criticism, he eventually stated in an apologetic video that he understood the situation. He claimed that the contentious joke was part of a 'crowd work' performance in which he interacted with the audience.

Kapil Sharma, known for his family-friendly comedy, has sometimes sparked controversy with indecent remarks. In 2016, he was chastised for making sexist jokes about women in government buildings. Furthermore, his public disagreement with fellow comic Sunil Grover, in which he allegedly used foul language mid-flight, harmed his image, resulting in a short drop in his career.

Tanmay Bhat, AIB's co-founder, received criticism over a 2016 Snapchat video in which he used a facial filter to impersonate former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam. Many people found it rude, resulting in considerable criticism. He later apologised, but the controversy contributed to AIB's final demise, particularly as the corporation became engaged in a #MeToo crisis.

Kiku Sharda, better known as Palak in 'Comedy Nights With Kapil', was detained and taken to Haryana after a police complaint (January 1) was filed against him for impersonating the self-proclaimed Godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. He was charged with allegedly hurting Singh's followers' religious sensibilities at a New Year's ceremony broadcast on television on December 27, 2015. A team of officers arrived on the set of 'Comedy Nights With Kapil'. The team attempted to obtain bail, but the FIR mandated that he report in Kathali (Haryana).

Vir Das received harsh criticism in 2021 after his monologue "Two Indias," performed at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, went viral. While some welcomed his perspective on the country's paradoxes, others accused him of defaming India on a global scale. Legal charges were made against him, and political groups called for an apology.

In one of the episodes of Pretty Good Roast, Aashish Solanki had Ashneer Grover as a guest, and the show was live on YouTube. It seems like the Shark Tank India judge got really upset and didn't want to be associated with the show anymore. Aashish tried to edit a video by removing Ashneer's name and face and even cut out a part of his roast. But unfortunately, that edited video was also taken down shortly after. Now, the footage of that episode is circulating on YouTube and Twitter. The comedian started the show by saying, "TV pe log talent dikhahte aate hain; ye aukat dikhake aa gaya." Samajh gaye kiska baat kar raha hai main? What is the name of your company, yaar?

Meanwhile, a FIR was filed against Ranveer Allahbdia, Samay Raina, and Apoorva Makhija for using offensive language on India's Got Latent. However, this is not the first time Samay Raina's show has run into difficulty. In fact, India's Got Latent frequently receives internet criticism, and the effects can extend beyond social media indignation.

Following the backlash, Ranveer Allahbadia apologised for his words, posting a video on X and confessing his errors. He admitted that comedy isn't his strong suit and promised to handle his platform appropriately, never disrespecting it again.