Vir Das has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding comedian Samay Raina and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, who has been facing backlash over a joke on India’s Got Latent. Taking to Instagram, the 45-year-old comedian shared a note addressing the debate over what constitutes "good comedy" while also criticizing the role of mainstream media in amplifying the outrage.
Without directly naming Ranveer Allahbadia, Vir emphasized that a good artist must always listen to audience feedback and learn from it. He acknowledged that comedy naturally comes with consequences, and an artist must evolve accordingly. "The audience is always welcome to debate what good comedy is. A good artist will take their feedback head down, mouth shut, and maybe evolve. Either way, the consequences of your comedy on your career and audience are pretty instant. That's a natural process," he wrote.
Vir also took aim at mainstream media, suggesting that its relevance is fading in the face of new digital platforms that reach wider audiences with deeper conversations and lower costs. He stated, "We are also watching a bunch of irrelevant mainstream media anchors bordering extinction coming together to take down new media that gets millions more views, longer interviews, and far more impact than their bloated studios and fat salaries at 1 percent of the cost. Whether you like new media or not is irrelevant."
He concluded his post with a thought-provoking statement, urging people to judge journalism with the same scrutiny as they judge comedy. "While we debate what good comedy is, please debate what good journalism is, the news that they SHOULD be doing, the questions they SHOULD be asking, and who they should be asking them to," he added.
Vir's statement comes amid widespread outrage against Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia, and others involved in the controversial joke. The backlash has escalated to the extent that FIRs have been filed against them, and a film body has even demanded a permanent ban on their content. In response to the controversy, Ranveer Allahbadia later issued a public apology, admitting that he failed to understand the nuances of comedy and acknowledging that he should not have made the joke.
