Explained | From remarks to legal troubles: All about Ranveer Allahbadia controversy

Popular YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, aka Beer Biceps, has sparked a huge controversy. Allabadia has not only received backlash on social media, but has also drawn criticism from politicians and public figures.

The controversy took a legal turn when an FIR was filed against him and others involved in the show. Amid the controversy the YouTuber has also lost a significant number of followers.

How did the controversy start?

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Allahbadia, along with content creators Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh and Apoorva Mukhija were invited by comedian Samay Raina on an episode of his YouTube show India's Got Latent.

During an episode, Allahbadia posed a 'would you rather' question to a contestant: “Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?”

Remarks made by Allabadia quickly went viral on social media, with netizens criticising him widely.

Soon after, an FIR was filed against Allahabadia, influencer ‘Rebel Kid’ Apoorva Mukhija, comedian Samay Raina, and the organisers of the showIndia's Got Latent over the alleged use of abusive language.

What is India's Got Latent?

First premiered on YouTube on June 14, 2024, India’s Got Latentopens with the line:‘an unnecessary reality show’.

The show narrator then describes the show saying, “It’s a pointless reality but it has a very interesting point system.” The show includes contestants from across India, who get 90 seconds to showcase their talent. Before their performance, the contestants are supposed to rate themselves. If the average rating of the matches is their own, the contests win and receive the full amount from that day’s ticket sales.

The panel of judges usually include YouTubers, comedians, and sometimes celebrities. With the recent controversy, the show has come under scrutiny for its usual dark humour with no limits.

Controversy draws criticism from politicians, public figures and organisations

The controversy escalated from social media to mainstream discussions and criticism from political and public figures.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reacted to the issue on Monday (Feb 10), saying “Everyone has freedom of speech, but this freedom ends when we encroach upon others' freedom. If anyone crosses these limits, action will be taken.”

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate has also condemned the remarks, calling them “perverse”.

Journalist and lyricist Neelesh Misra on Sunday (Feb 9) criticised the comments made by Allahbadia on X, “Meet the perverted creators who are shaping our country’s creative economy. I am sure each one has a following of millions.”

“This content is not designated as adult content — it can be seen with ease even by a child if the algorithm takes him or her there. The creators or the platform have zero sense of responsibility,” he added.

“You, the audience, normalised and celebrated this and people like these. Decency is not incentivised in India — by platforms or audiences — and creators are stooping lower and lower for audience reach and revenue.”

Amid the controversy, National Award-winning singer B Praak has cancelled his appearance on Allabadia’s podcast. Allahbadia has over 10.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he hosts his podcast The Ranveer Show.

An official from the National Commission for Women (NCW) has also reacted to the controversy, saying they were looking into the matter. In addition, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has strongly condemned his comments, calling them “abhorrent” and disrespectful” to societal and family values.

“We call upon all actors, filmmakers, directors, and technicians to immediately cease any collaboration with individuals involved in this show, including host Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia,” AICWA said in a statement.

Ranveer Allahbadia apologises

Responding to widespread criticism and police complaints against him, Allabadia apologised in a video shared on X on Monday (Feb 10).

“My comment wasn't inappropriate; comedy is not my forte. I am just here to say sorry. Many asked, Is this how I use the platform? to which he stated, 'Obviously, this is not how I wish to use it. I am not going to give any context or justification or reasoning behind whatever happened; I am just here for the apology,” he wrote. “I personally had a lapse, and judgment wasn't cool on my path. The podcast is watched by people of all ages. I don't want to be the person that takes that responsibility lightly, and family is the last thing that I would disrespect.”

The YouTuber added, “Need to use this platform better; that's been my learning from this whole experience. I promised to just get better; I have asked the makers to remove the insensitive sections from the video, and all I can say in the end is, Sorry, I hope you can forgive me as a human being.”

Meanwhile, Samay Raina, the show’s host, has remained silent on the controversy while being on his ‘Unfiltered: North America Tour 2025’.

Video removed after notices

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry and National Human Rights Commission issued directives to YouTube to remove the controversial episode. Following this, the video was removed from the YouTube platform on Tuesday (Feb 11) and is now unavailable in the country.

Mumbai police visit YouTuber

On Tuesday (Feb 11) morning, Mumbai police arrived at the residence of the YouTuber to question him further about the case.

Influencer Ashish Chanchlani's lawyer Apurva also visited the Khar Police Station in Mumbai for the complaint registered against the show, calling for legal action and a ban.

Parliament may summon Allahbadia

After complaints from several MPs, a Parliamentary panel on Information Technology is discussing whether to summon Allahbadia to question him about the row.

Several members of the committee including Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, have expressed concerns regarding the matter.

“Any abusive language in the name of comedy content crosses limits is not acceptable . You get a platform, that doesn't mean that you will utter anything. He is someone with millions of subscribers, every political has sat in his podcast. PM has given him an award... As a member of standing committee of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, I will raise this issue...,” Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote on X.