Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 12 : Indian filmmaker Ashoke Pandit has lashed out at podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia for making an offensive joke on comedian Samay Raina's YouTube show 'India's Got Latent'.
Speaking to ANI, Pandit condemned Allahbadia's remarks, calling his sense of humor "filthy" and "objectionable" in society.
"At the outset, I condemn, with all my heart, what Ranveer Allahbadia did. His sense of comedy, his filthy sense of humor, is objectionable, especially in our society, and for that matter, anywhere else," he said.
Adding that such jokes should not be tolerated, Pandit said, "India is a country where parents are still respected and held in very high esteem. And I'm sure he must be doing the same with his parents. Having said that, there are no two opinions when it comes to condemning his actions. This is not comedy. This is not humor. Having said that, I want to raise an issue."
The filmmaker also raised concerns about the rise of offensive humor in comedy shows and on social media. He recalled the controversy surrounding AIB in 2015 and questioned who was allowing such content to flourish.
"Who has given licenses to people who have promoted this culture of comedy? We are responsible for that, as is the audience. If you remember, in 2015, there was a show called AIB. When I watched that show, which featured big stars from our industry, I was shocked," he added.
Pandit also emphasized that making fun of people is "not comedy" and expressed concern over why such content has "broken the internet."
"Filth, dirt, abuse, bad words, accusations, making fun of people this is not comedy. This is not humor. And one also has to reflect on why this show is such a big hit. It has broken the internet. So, all those crores of people who follow the show and have made them stars are also responsible if they believe that this humor and comedy are wrong. It's important for us, individually, to reflect on our mindset, as well as our likes and dislikes."
The controversy erupted after Allahbadia's remark in a recent episode of the show did not sit well with the audience.
During the show, he asked a contestant, "Would you rather watch your parents... or join in once and stop it forever?" Following the backlash, a formal complaint was filed against Ranveer Allahbadia, social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, comedian Samay Raina, and the organizers of India's Got Latent.
Earlier on Wednesday, Samay took to his Instagram Stories to share a statement, stating that he has removed all videos of the show from his channel and is "fully cooperating" with the authorities. He also added that his only intention was to entertain people.
"Everything that has been happening has been too much for me to handle. I have removed all India's Got Latent videos from my channel. My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time. I will fully cooperate with all agencies to ensure their inquiries are concluded fairly. Thank you," Samay wrote on his Instagram Story.
Meanwhile, Allahbadia also issued a public apology, admitting that his comments were "inappropriate" and that he "had a lapse in judgment."
"My comment wasn't just inappropriate; it wasn't even funny. Comedy is not my forte. I am just here to say sorry," he said in a video posted on his X account.
He also acknowledged concerns about his influence on young audiences. "The podcast is watched by people of all ages. I don't want to be the kind of person who takes that responsibility lightly. Family is the last thing that I would ever disrespect. I need to use this platform better. That has been my learning from this whole experience," he added.
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