YouTuber and content creator Ranveer Allahbadia has issued an apology for the vulgar jokes he made on comedian Samay Raina’s reality show, India’s Got Latent. Allahbadia, who is known for his podcasts and motivational content, stated, “Comedy is not my forte; this is not how I wish to use my platform. I had a lapse in judgment.”
Allahbadia’s jokes were criticised as obscene, derogatory, and sexist on the roast-style comedy show. A short clip of the joke has gone viral and sparked severe backlash from netizens as well as politicians.
Ranveer Allahbadia is the founder of BeerBiceps Media World and the host of the popular podcast, "The Ranveer Show" (TRS), where he interviews various notable personalities. He has also been recognised on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and is considered one of the most influential digital creators in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the Disruptor of the Year award to him at the National Creators Award held in 2024.
CM reacts
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis commented on the controversy, stating, “Everyone has freedom of speech, but our freedom ends when we encroach upon the freedom of others. In our society, we have made certain rules; if someone violates them, it is absolutely wrong and action should be taken against them.”
An official complaint has also been filed with the Mumbai Commissioner, and the Maharashtra Women's Commission has demanded strict actions against the reality show and the judges, Apoorva Makhija and Ashish Chanchlani, who were present during the incident.
India’s Got Latent
"India's Got Latent" is an Indian talent show created and hosted by comedian Samay Raina. Raina, known for his dark humor and candid jokes, brings a similar tone to the show. The program has quickly become part of pop culture, but its frank and candid nature has elicited mixed reactions from audiences. There have been controversial moments, such as when a female contestant made jokes about actor Deepika Padukone and her struggle with depression.
Despite its risqué nature, the show has successfully attracted numerous brands and sponsors. Notably, companies like KFC have featured personalities who gained fame from India's Got Latent in their advertising campaigns. Raina also recently made a guest appearance on Sony Television's Kaun Banega Crorepati.
afaqs! reached out to Cashify, the sponsors of Ranveer Allahbadia's episode of India's Got Latent, for comment; however, they declined to respond.
The rise of the show and the controversy surrounding Allahbadia have led many to question the integrity of India's creator ecosystem.
Renowned Hindi journalist, author, radio storyteller, scriptwriter, and lyricist Neelesh Mishra responded to the situation by stating, “Decency is not incentivised in India—neither by platforms nor by audiences. As a result, creators are resorting to increasingly inappropriate behaviour for audience reach and revenue. Terms like banal, crass, and insensitive are reserved for those considered boring and uncool. These creators claim they are exercising their freedom of speech and evade consequences for their actions.”
/afaqs/media/agency_attachments/2024-10-10t065829449z-afaqs_640x480.png)
/afaqs/media/member_avatars/2025/01/07/2025-01-07t173420043z-whatsapp-image-2025-01-07-at-230243.jpeg )
Follow Us/afaqs/media/media_files/2025/02/10/dJlqgIDmqD2zYCp1u5Lg.png)