Ranveer Allahbadia controversy: Fresh backlash as netizens find ’watch your parents having sex’ joke was ’copied’

Popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia is faced widespread condemnation on Monday as an ‘obscene’ joke went viral. The remarks were made during a recent episode of the Samay Raina-led India’s Got Latent show and have since prompted a police complaint against the influencer. Social media backlash has now taken a fresh turn after netizens realised that his unfortunate joke had also been ‘plagiarised’ from another show.

“Ranveer Allahbadia was aware of what he was going to say- it was a well prepared skit copied from an English show! It was not an accident or a slip of tongue! Don’t accept his apology because it was not a mistake! Watch!” fumed one user.

“Itna kaand krne ke baad ye pata chala ke ye bh churaya hua tha dusri jagah se,” wrote another while sharing a facepalming emoji.

A quick internet search reveals that the joke in question had been posted on YouTube by the OG Crew two weeks earlier. The clip unearthed by netizens features group members Sammy Walsh and Alan Fang laughing over the exact same joke cracked by Allahbadia.

Ranveer Allahbadia issues apology

The popular influencer issued an apology for his controversial comment on Monday — describing the entire episode as a “lapse in judgment”. He also claimed that comedy was not his forte and reiterated the “need to use this platform better”.

“Many of you asked if this how I wish to use my platform. Obviously, this is not how I wish to use my platform. I am not going to give any context, justification or reasoning behind whatever happened. I am just here for an apology. I, personally, had a lapse in judgement. It wasn’t cool on my part,” he said in a video message.

Mumbai Police initiates inquiry

A Mumbai Police team was dispatched to the India’s Got Latent studio on Monday amid outrage over his comments A formal complaint has also been lodged against the YouTuber and investigation remains underway.

The complaint was registered by a BJP functionary on Monday morning with both the Mumbai Commissioner and the Maharashtra Women’s Commission. It alleged that abusive language was used on the show and demanded strict legal action against the accused. The letter named Allahbadia as well as social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, comedian Samay Raina, and the organizers of ‘India’s Got Latent’. Officials said that an inquiry had been initiated into the matter but a case is yet to be registered.

(With inputs from agencies)