Tehseen Poonawala stands by dark humor: Response to backlash against Ranveer Allahbadia

The controversy surrounding podcaster and YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia's remarks on comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show, India’s Got Latent, has intensified. Social media backlash has led to police cases against Allahbadia and others involved, including comedian Apoorva Mukhija. Amid this, another prominent internet personality, Tehseen Poonawala, has stepped forward to defend the YouTube show, suggesting the uproar is an attack on freedom of speech.

The case for free speech

Tehseen Poonawala argued that while the Indian Parliament may unite over issues like social media censorship, they often remain silent on more serious matters, such as convicted rapists running for office during elections. “Cracking a bad joke is just that—a bad joke,” he said. “The punishment for such remarks should be self-regulation, not an attack on free speech.”

The role of audience responsibility

Poonawala continued, stating that the show, which was marketed as dark humor and was restricted to adult viewers, should not have been scrutinized by those who find such content offensive. “If you don’t like dark humor, simply avoid the show,” he said, emphasizing that viewers should take responsibility for their choices when it comes to subscribing to content.

Ranveer Allahbadia faces backlash and threats

Amid the backlash, Allahbadia acknowledged the insensitivity of his comments and offered a second public apology, stating he was "genuinely sorry." However, the controversy escalated when he revealed receiving death threats, some targeting his family. “People have invaded my mother’s clinic posing as patients. I am feeling scared and I don’t know what to do,” he expressed on social media.

Legal and Police investigations underway

The controversy has also led to legal repercussions, with Allahbadia, Raina, and others facing multiple cases in Mumbai and Assam. Investigating teams from Guwahati police have also arrived in Mumbai to probe the matter further. As of now, Allahbadia and his co-panelists are cooperating with authorities. Following the controversy, Samay Raina removed all episodes of India’s Got Latent from his YouTube channel.