In a world where digital media makes up most of our lives, it’s easier to just hide behind the laptop screens and share your meanest opinions without the fear of being caught. This is increasingly becoming the sad reality of the world we are living in. Just the day before yesterday, Vir Das’ video started to go viral wherein he delivered a monologue as part of his recent performance at the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. He uploaded a video on Instagram, titled ‘I Come From Two Indias’.

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It was only a matter of hours after he uploaded the video that he started trending on Twitter with many social media users calling him out for insulting the country. He was termed a ‘traitor’ and people didn’t approve of his act. In the video, he is heard talking about the duality of the country. He mentions topical issues India is grappling with including the battle against COVID-19. Vir talks about how Bollywood divides the nation on Twitter and ironically unites the audience in the theatres. He mentions how women are worshipped in the day and gang-raped at night. Vir is also heard talking about the crackdown against comedians, lack of information about the PM CARES fund and does not forget to mention the farmers' protests. He also mentions that some might find it a gigantic joke but it’s not. 

People were offended by his monologue and a complaint was registered against the comedian. Not just Vir Das, we have found out five more Indian comedians who have landed in trouble for their acts in the past. 

1. Munawar Faruqui  View this post on Instagram

On January 1, 2021, standup comedian Munawar Faruqui was arrested for a show in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. He was booked under various IPC sections including 295A, which relates to “deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings.” 

Town Inspector of Tukaganj Police Station Kamlesh Sharma had told The Indian Express that they had no evidence against Faruqui directly and that he had been booked as an organizer. “There’s no evidence against him for insulting Hindu deities or Union Minister Amit Shah,” he said. 

The comedian has been a target of Hindutva groups for the past year. Last month, two shows featuring Faruqui were canceled after members of Bajrang Dal traveled from Gujarat to Mumbai and threatened the venue owners. They feel he has mocked Lord Rama in his previous videos and hence, they want to get all of his shows canceled.

2. Kunal Kamra

Kunal Kamra has always been in the news for his controversial tweets. He faced contempt charges over a series of tweets criticizing the Supreme Court for granting TV anchor Arnab Goswami interim bail.

Here’s one of the tweets that got him in trouble:

© Twitter/Kunal Kamra

3. Agrima Joshua View this post on Instagram

Mumbai-based stand-up comedian Agrima Joshua landed in big trouble after she joked about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a standup gig. She even received rape and death threats because of a harmless joke. 

Swara Bhasker came out in support of her and also shared the video of the comedian’s act. 

Here’s the video: 

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4. Kiku Sharda View this post on Instagram

Comedy Nights With Kapil actor Kiku Sharda was arrested for mimicking Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on his show. He was arrested for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the self-styled godman’s followers. Kiku was booked on December 31 under section 295 A of the Indian Penal Code (outraging religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief). Kiku Sharda was sent to 14-day judicial custody after police produced him before the court of Nandita Kaushik, Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kaithal. But, he was granted bail in this case. 

5. Tanmay Bhat  View this post on Instagram

Tanmay Bhat got in major trouble after he used an app called Face Swap, which allows users to “borrow” another person’s face, for creating two videos titled Sachin Vs Lata #Civilwar that agitated followers of both the singer and the cricketer. Police complaints were filed against Bhat by Maharashtra's ruling BJP and also Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

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