YouTuber-podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, also known as "BeerBiceps", has sparked a controversy with a comment on comedian Samay Raina's "India's Got Latent" show.
"Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever," Mr Allahbadia, who has over 1 crore followers on YouTube, asked a contestant during the latest episode, which also featured content creators like Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh and Apoorva Mukhija, who goes by the name "The Rebel Kid" on Instagram.
After a video of his remark went viral on social media, he issued an apology and said he "shouldn't have said what he said".
"My comment was not just inappropriate, it was not even funny. Comedy is not my forte. I'm sorry," he said in a video statement Monday.
I shouldn't have said what I said on India's got latent. I'm sorry. pic.twitter.com/BaLEx5J0kd
— Ranveer Allahbadia (@BeerBicepsGuy) February 10, 2025
His apology came hours after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that while he had not watched the clip, he had come to know that it was "very vulgar".
He also said anyone who "crosses the limits of decency" will face action.
"I have been informed about this, though I have not watched it yet. I came to know that it was very vulgar and this was wrong. Everyone has freedom of speech but this freedom ends when we encroach upon others' freedom," Mr Fadnavis told reporters.
#WATCH | Mumbai: On controversy over YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia's remarks on a show, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "I have come to know about it. I have not seen it yet. Things have been said and presented in a wrong way. Everyone has freedom of speech but our freedom… pic.twitter.com/yXKcaWJWDD
— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2025
"Everyone has limits, if anyone crosses them, action will be taken," he added.
Backlash Over Ranveer Allahbadia's Remark
Two Mumbai lawyers have filed a police complaint against Ranveer Allahbadia and other comics. They have written to Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phalsankar and the Maharashtra Women's Commission, flagging how remarks made on "India's Got Latent" show amount to disrespecting women and must attract action.
Journalist and lyricist Neelesh Misra also called out the "perverted creators" who were shaping "our country's creative economy".
"This content is not designated as adult content - it can be seen with ease even by a child if the algorithm takes him or her there. The creators or the platform have zero sense of responsibility. I am also not surprised at all that four people at the desk - and lots in the audience - celebrated this and had a great laugh," he posted on X.
“Would you rather watch your parents have sex for the rest of your life — or would you join in once and stop it forever?”
— Neelesh Misra (@neeleshmisra) February 9, 2025
Meet the perverted creators who are shaping our country's creative economy. I am sure each one has a following of millions.
This content is not designated as… https://t.co/UjwKyPIhJQ
Mr Misra also said the "audience has normalised and celebrated this and people like these".
"Decency is not incentivised in India - by platforms or audiences - and creators are stooping lower and lower for audience reach and revenue. Banal, crass, and insensitive are words only for boring uncool people. These creators can say anything in the name of freedom of speech and get away with it," he added.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate reacted to Mr Misra's post.
"This is not creative It's pervert. And we can't normalise perverse behaviour as cool. The fact that this sick comment met loud applause must worry us all," she said.
This isn't creative. It's pervert.
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) February 9, 2025
And we can't normalise perverse behaviour as cool.
The fact that this sick comment met loud applause must worry us all. https://t.co/tZQNnZuIhF
A user requested Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to "take action against these people"
"It will leave a detrimental impact on kids and youth who are going to watch this (the episode)," he said.
Another user said it was "extremely stupid stuff" from Mr Allahabadia.
"What is considered funny has really degraded these days," he said.
A user also said that actor Amitabh Bachchan should be "ashamed of bringing such faces to Kaun Banega Crorepati". Samay Raina, along with content creators Tanmay Bhat, Bhuvan Bam, and Kamiya Jani, recently appeared on the television game show, which is hosted by Mr Bachchan.
This is not the first time Mr Raina's YouTube reality show "India's Got Latent" is in the news. Last week, a case was reportedly filed against a contestant from Arunachal Pradesh over her remark on dog meat.
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