YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia's remarks on a roast show have sparked a row
Amid the row over YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia's remarks on a roast show, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that while he had not watched the video clip, anyone who crosses the limits of decency will face action. Two Mumbai lawyers have already filed a police complaint against Allahbadia, better known as the BeerBiceps Guy.
"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. Everyone has limits, if anyone crosses them, action will be taken," the Chief Minister said.
Seeking an FIR against Allahbadia and other comics, lawyers Ashish Rai and Pankaj Mishra have written to Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phalsankar and the state women's commission, flagging how remarks made on 'India's Got Latent' show amount to disrespecting women and must attract action. The complaint names Allahabadia, comics Samay Raina and Apoorva Makhija, among others.
A short clip from the show, which is now viral, shows Allahbadia asking a contestant, "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever."
The complaint says the comics made objectionable remarks about women's bodies. Their remarks were spreading vulgar thoughts in children's minds about their parents, says the complaint. Such statements were made with the sole purpose of making money, the lawyers have alleged.
They have demanded that the 'India's Got Latent' show be shut down and a case registered against the comics and the show's organisers.
Earlier, Allahbadia's remarks triggered massive outrage on social media, with many claiming vulgarity was being passed off as comedy in shows such as 'India's Got Latent'.
Among those to speak out is journalist and lyricist Neelesh Misra. Sharing a clip of Allahbadia's remark, he said creators of 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. You, the audience, normalised and celebrated this and people like these," he said in a post on X.
"Decency is not incentivised in India - by platforms or audiences - and creators are stooping lower and lower for audience reach and revenue. Banal, crass, 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. Again, meet the creators who are shaping our country's creative economy," Mr Misra said.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said the fact that such comments draw applause must worry us. "This isn't 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."
Amid the massive row, Allahbadia has apologised for his comments and said "comedy is not my forte" and that "it wasn't cool". The 31-year-old posted an apology message on X with the caption, "I shouldn't have said what I said on India's got latent. I'm sorry." In the video message, he said, "My comment wasn't just inappropriate, it was not even funny. Comedy is not my forte, I am just here to say sorry."
