YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, well-known as BeerBiceps, sparked a massive controversy recently after he made an obscene joke on Samay Raina’s show India’s Got Latent, and the incident drew some severe backlash from social media users. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, issued a stern reaction when asked about it from a reporter.
Devendra Fadnavis Condemns YouTuber’s Remarks Amidst Backlash
CM Fadnavis, while addressing the concern, said, “Everyone has freedom of speech, but this freedom ends when we encroach upon others’ freedom. In our society, we have rules, and if someone violates them, it is absolutely wrong. Action should be taken.” His comments came after Pankaj Mishra and Ashish Rai’s lawyers filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Women’s Commission and Mumbai Police, alleging that the show’s content was disrespectful towards the women and harmful to the young audience.
Social media has erupted with a lot of criticism for Allahbadia. The users are labeling his jokes as “disgusting” and “vulgar” and calling the content to be unacceptable. Moreover, amidst the criticism, lyricist and journalist Neelesh Misra, sharing the clip of Allahbadia’s remark, said that these creators 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.
He added, “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.”
With all said, the users are now questioning if the creative industry of India has stopped so low that they use obscenity as a tool for viewing and laughter.
Ranveer Allahbadia Issues Apology, Admit it was a mistake
Amidst the ongoing backlash, Allahbadia took on X to issue a public apology. He admitted his lapse in judgment, saying, “My comment wasn’t just inappropriate, it wasn’t even funny. Comedy is not my forte. I’m sorry.” He even requested to remove the offensive segment from the episode while promising to use his channel more responsibly.
As this incident continues to gain traction, it brings in larger questions, such as, are obscene jokes necessary within entertainment? Or is the creative industry of India so devoid of originality that it’s using cheap humor? While comedy thrives on pushing boundaries, it is essential to respect societal norms. It is important not to cross the disrespectful territory.
The ongoing controversy even put the spotlight on content creators’ responsibility, especially with ones having massive followings, to ensure the work doesn’t offend or harm. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen if the incident will lead to some stricter regulations within digital content space.