Complaint filed against Ranveer Allahbadia, others for ‘offensive remarks’ on India’s Got Latent; YouTuber apologises for ‘lapse in judgement’

The Mumbai police has initiated an inquiry, following a formal complaint filed against YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, comedian Samay Raina, and the organisers of the show ‘India’s Got Latent’ after a series of alleged controversial and offensive remarks made on the show.

“Inquiry is going on,” Mumbai police officials said.

The complaint, registered with both the Mumbai Commissioner and the Maharashtra Women’s Commission, alleges that abusive language was used on the show. The complainant has demanded strict legal action against the accused. The controversy erupted after remarks made by Allahbadia during a YouTube episode of ‘India’s Got Latent’ were deemed offensive and derogatory.

The comments, which were made in a joking context, sparked widespread outrage. The complaint filed accuses the organisers and participants of deliberately making obscene remarks about women’s private parts with the intent to gain popularity and financial gain through the online broadcast.

The broadcast, which aired globally on YouTube, featured the accused laughing and making inappropriate jokes about women, which the complainant describes as a serious offence.

Family is the last thing I would ever disrespect: Allahbadia

Meanwhile, Allahbadia issued a public apology following the backlash. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he expressed regret for his remarks, acknowledging that they were inappropriate and lacked sensitivity.

In a video, Allahbadia said, “I shouldn’t have said what I said on India’s Got Latent. I’m sorry.” He further admitted, “My comment wasn’t just inappropriate, it wasn’t even funny. Comedy is not my forte. I personally had a lapse in judgement that wasn’t cool on my part, especially on a platform watched by people of all ages.”

The influencer stressed his commitment to using his platform responsibly, stating, “Family is the last thing I would ever disrespect. [I] need to use this platform better—that’s been my learning from the whole experience.”

Allahbadia said that he has requested the makers of the video to remove the insensitive portions and promised to improve moving forward. He concluded his statement by asking for forgiveness, saying, “All I can say is, I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me as a human being.”

Remarks were made with the intention of profiting from controversy: complaint

The complaint emphasised that such remarks were made with the intention of profiting from controversy, with no regard for the harm caused to women’s dignity or the negative influence on young audiences, particularly minors, who might have been exposed to these comments.

In response to the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I have come to know about it. I have not seen it yet. Things have been said and presented in a wrong way. Everyone has freedom of speech, but our freedom ends when we encroach upon the freedom of others. In our society, we have made some rules, if someone violates them, it is absolutely wrong, and action should be taken against them.”

Former National Commission for Women (NCW) Chief and Rajya Sabha MP, Rekha Sharma, also expressed her shock over the remarks. “The video is very shocking and I think whether it is a female or a male, this kind of joke is never accepted by society. Making jokes about a mother or a female’s body doesn’t look good and somewhere it shows how today’s youth has stooped down to such a level morally. I think such jokes affect others who are engaged in similar creative things. I have just forwarded that video to the NCW Chairperson to take action.”

Shiv Sena, through its spokesperson Raju Wagamare, also condemned the remarks made on the show.

The spokesperson issued a stern warning to the producers, “In the State of Maharashtra, under the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj, such language will not be tolerated. They should stop all this immediately; otherwise, we will take action in our own style.”

In the complaint, the concerned party emphasises the severity of the incident and its damaging effects on women’s honour.

“Through this complaint letter, I wish to draw your attention to a highly sensitive incident. The actions of these individuals have caused harm to women’s dignity and honour. They have deliberately made obscene comments about women’s private parts with the intent of gaining popularity and making money.”

The letter goes on to call for immediate legal action against the organisers of India’s Got Latent and for the broadcast to be halted.

The complainant stresses that criminal cases should be filed under the Indian Penal Code against the organisers of the show and that a First Information Report (FIR) should be registered against all those involved in the incident.

(With inputs from ANI)