Stand-up comedy often thrives on pushing boundaries, but sometimes jokes, crowd interactions, or public statements can spark intense backlash. Most recently, comedian Pranit More found himself at the center of a controversy after a crowd-work video went viral online. While his case has reignited debates around comedy and accountability, he is not the first comedian to face public outrage. Here’s a look at some comedians who landed in hot water after their remarks triggered audiences.
5 Comedians Who Faced Major Backlash
1. Pranit More
Pranit More has found himself in the middle of a major controversy. The stand-up comedian, who gained fame as a contestant on Bigg Boss 19, recently uploaded a crowd-work video that went viral for the wrong reasons. In the video, Pranit is seen interacting with a young man in the audience, Himanshu Jangra, a 23-year-old web developer from Gurugram, who is narrating a date gone wrong. The man made misogynistic remarks, stating that he spent Rs. 370 on a biryani and should have received sexual favors in return from the girl since he paid for her food.
The video received immense backlash, with viewers questioning the man’s sexist views, and Pranit laughing along and encouraging this behavior instead of questioning it. The video also highlighted the concept of consent. Since the release of the video, Pranit has apologized for his “lapse in judgement,” not before deactivating his Instagram account, and Himanshu, who made these remarks, has been fired from his company, Starvik Design, as per NDTV.
This isn’t the first time a comedian has courted controversy for their sketches or statements. Here’s a look back at 10 comedians who have faced a similar fate previously, like Pranit.
2. Samay Raina
In 2025, Samay Raina was a name being discussed during debates on leading news channels. The comedian faced severe backlash for the contents of his famous YouTube show, India’s Got Latent, which provided a platform for the common public to appear and display their stand-up talent. The show’s format featured participants performing live on stage and roasting the panel of judges.
When introduced, the show was a massive success, with several episodes surpassing 1 million views each. However, India’s Got Latent soon found itself embroiled in a major controversy after one of its episodes, which featured an appearance by guest judge and famous YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia. Incidentally, it wasn’t a remark made by Samay but Ranveer that landed the show in a controversy.
In the episode, Ranveer was seen asking a contestant an obscene “would you rather” question that involved being intimate with one’s own parents. The clip went viral, sparking massive outrage, with critics calling the show vulgar and offensive. Eventually, the episodes were taken down from YouTube. Things didn’t stop here and escalated further with multiple FIRs being filed against Samay, Ranveer, and other guests, including Apoorva Makhija, Ashish Chanchlani, and Jaspreet Singh.
Samay remained inactive until April this year, when he made a comeback with his stand-up, Still Alive, where he addressed the controversy, the challenges he faced, and the upcoming season of India’s Got Latent.
3. Kunal Kamra
Kunal Kamra is possibly the most controversial comedian in India today. His bold commentary on India’s politics and judicial system has often landed him in soup. Kunal’s latest controversy was last year, when his jokes targeted Maharashtra’s political leaders, sparking major outrage. Previously, the comedian had also been banned by major airlines, including Indigo and Air India, for heckling popular television journalist Arnab Goswami during a flight. Kunal even uploaded a video of the heckling on his Twitter account.
4. Munawar Faruqui
Like Kunal Kamra, Munawar Faruqui is also known for his bold take on politics as well as religion. In 2021, the comedian was arrested ahead of an act he was set to perform in Indore. He was accused of cracking jokes that hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. The comedian spent several weeks in jail before being granted bail. Following this incident, many of his shows were canceled. The comedian eventually announced his retirement from comedy at the age of 29.
5. Tanmay Bhat
Tanmay Bhat was at the center of a social media storm in 2016, when he mimicked India’s icons, including the late singing legend Lata Mangeshkar and famous batsman Sachin Tendulkar. The comedian used Snapchat filters and enacted what hypothetical conversations between the two icons would look like. The nation didn’t receive this video lightly, with many criticizing Tammany for mocking the two legendary stars of India.
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