“Kya apne kabhi bhoot dekha hai?” (translated, “Have you ever seen a ghost?”) – sounds familiar? This is one of the most asked questions on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast on YouTube, called BeerBiceps. There is nothing wrong with this question, but when asked purposely and without any context and too, to almost all of his interviewees, then it directs its viewers/listeners towards a well-structured narrative.
Ranveer Allahbadia, also known as BeerBicepsGuy, is a digital content creator, podcast host and entrepreneur. He has 10.4 million Youtube subscribers, including his 12 various channels; 3.4 million followers on Instagram; 245K followers on Facebook and 608.6K followers on X (formerly known as Twitter), which indicates his massive influence on the young demographics. He was awarded the Disruptor of the Year award at the 2024 National Creators Award.
If you’re new to his show, his content may initially seem fascinating and thought-provoking. However, as you become a regular viewer, you’ll likely experience one of two outcomes — either you will find yourself deeply engaged with Allahbadia or grow increasingly frustrated by him.
Allahbadia talks about everything from Ayurveda’s secret, India’s lost history, to fashion and fitness, spirituality and not forgetting his obsession of wanting to know everyone’s secrets in his every one of his podcast episodes, which includes famous personalities like Indian cricketer Mithali Raj, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, Triptri Dimri, Dilgit Dosanjh, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and the list is unending and irresistible. Besides his love for famous celebrities/personalities, Allahbadia enjoys making content on just about anything you want to know, no matter how obscure the topic may be; such as “which side your TV should be faced”; “how vastu relates to your sleeping posture”; “how does your zodiac sign make you powerful”, “your past life to your present life” – Allahbadia always have something to add to his tales.
Without a doubt, much of his content is sheer nonsense, riddled with myths and misinformation. If you pay a minuscule amount of attention, you can figure it out yourself. Yet, none of this ever sparked nationwide controversy until his appearance on India’s Got Latent, where he made a comment that triggered a massive backlash nationwide. Suddenly, janta jaanna chahti hai (translated as “the people wants to know”) what made him say what he said and was thus painted as the villain.
India’s Got Latent is a Hindi-language talent show curated by comedian Samay Raina that goes by a unique scoring system and is known for its unfiltered, raw content. The show is inspired by the international Got Talent franchise and Kill Tony, featuring a variety of acts, including singing, dancing, magic, comedy, etc. The show enjoyed widespread acceptance from viewers until recently.
What did Ranveer say on the show
Allahbadia asked a contestant whether they would “rather watch their parents have sex for the rest of their life or join them once and put a stop to it”. Ironically, the question was taken from a recent episode of OG Crew’s Truth or Drink episode, where Sammy Walsh posed the exact question to Alan Fang, where she asked, “Would you rather watch your mom and dad have sex every night for the rest of your life or join in one time to make it stop and never have to watch it again?” Before the full episode could came out, the video clip of Allahbadia’s question went viral, receiving widespread backlash from viewers, public figures, and politicians.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emphasized the balance between freedom of speech and respecting boundaries, saying, “Everyone has freedom of speech but this freedom ends when we encroach upon others’ freedom. Everyone has limits; if anyone crosses them, action will be taken”. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also condemned the content, characterizing it as “pervert” and expressing concern about the normalization of such behavior.
The whole matter spread like a wildfire and even before the full episode could be released on the show’s official YouTube channel, multiple FIRs were filed. The show’s host Samay Raina also faced huge backlash, leading to multiple legal actions and renewed discussions on online content regulation. Complaints were registered with authorities, including the Maharashtra Cyber Department, Guwahati Police, and Jaipur Police. The National Commission for Women (NCW) also took cognizance, summoning the creators for their role in the controversial content.
Apologies and Lawyer on Board
Following the outrage, within the first 12 hours, Allahbadia began issuing public apologies, admitting that his comment was “inappropriate” and said “comedy is not my forte.” Raina, on his part, began removing India’s Got Latent episode videos from his YouTube channel.
In response to the mounting legal troubles, Allahbadia approached the Supreme Court, seeking to consolidate the multiple FIRs filed against him. The apex court also acknowledged the matter, commenting on the obscene nature of his remarks. Allahbadia was represented by Bombay High Court lawyer Abhinav Chandrachud, son of former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.
In a February 18th court order, Allahbadia was barred from airing any content after his controversial remarks on India’s Got Latent. However, during Monday’s hearing, his counsel, Chandrachud, argued that the ban was affecting Allahbadia’s livelihood, pointing out that he employs 280 people. “I understand he has no sense of humor, but he interviews personalities – sportspersons, politicians, spiritual leaders. That’s how he earns livelihood,” he said, urging the court to modify the restriction.
And, just like that, the Supreme Court lifted its earlier restriction, allowing Allahbadia to resume “The Ranveer Show” under the condition that he adheres to standards of decency and morality.
“Subject to the petitioner furnishing an undertaking to the effect that his podcast shows will maintain the desired standards of decency and morality so that viewers of any age group can watch, the petitioner is allowed to resume The Ranveer Show,” stated a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N K Singh.
Accepting the plea, the court not only reinstated Allahbadia’s right to broadcast but also maintained his interim protection from arrest. It further directed him to cooperate with ongoing investigations.
What happened to Samay Raina
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court sharply criticized comedian Samay Raina for joking about the India’s Got Latent controversy during a performance in Canada. While hearing a petition related to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia’s offensive remarks on Raina’s show, Justice Surya Kant said, “These young and oversmart ones think they know more than this… One of them went to Canada and spoke about all this.”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta added, “Yes, he (referring to Raina) went abroad and made fun of this proceeding.” Justice Kant further warned, “Behave, or else we know how to deal with you.”
During his Canada tour, Raina quipped, “Thanks for paying my lawyer’s fees.” His show had triggered public outrage, legal action, and debates in Parliament, prompting him to remove all episodes and cooperate with authorities. Allahbadia also apologized, admitting his remarks were inappropriate.
Look at the broader debate
Beyond this specific case, the court also widened the discussion to explore regulatory measures for online content that do not amount to censorship. “With regard to telecast or airing of programmes which are not acceptable in terms of known moral standards of our society, some regulatory measures may be required,” the bench observed, seeking recommendations from the Solicitor General on potential guidelines under Article 19 of the Constitution.In all of this, one can’t help but ask about the elephant in the room – why don’t we see this judicial strictness and swiftness in public forum, when dealing cases like rape, murder, harrasment or fraud. Why don’t we see comments like “Behave, or else we know how to deal with you” coming from judges or politicians? While we are ready to regulate what a person can make fun of, restrict comedians and activists from making content on moral grounds, when will we see such strictness in other matters?
Watching raw comedy is not everyone’s cup of tea since it caters to the taste of different individuals. Just like you have the freedom to like some TV shows, choose which newspaper to read, and make sure which beauty product to use, why can’t comedians have the freedom to express themselves?
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