Following the controversy around Pranit More, another stand-up comedian, Madhur Virli, has landed in trouble due to his past jokes. For the unversed, Madhur made jokes that referenced rape and violence, triggering backlash.
Who is Madhur Virli?
Madhur Virli is a stand-up comedian who enjoys a good fan following on social media. He is an IIT graduate-turned-comic and followed a conventional career before his early break in 2018 when he won the stand-up category at the Inter-IIT Cultural Meet. He is known for his dark humour.
Why is Madhur Virli receiving backlash?
A video of Madhur from 2024 has surfaced on social media, where he cracked jokes that referenced rape and violence. He reportedly joked about rape cases and made comments imagining conversations after such crimes, and also referenced how survivors describe the trauma they experience.
What did Madhur Virli say in the viral video?
He said, "10 rape cases hote hain, to 9 aise hote hain jinke sirf rape hota hai aur ek ke saath hota hai murder after rape. Mujhe lagta hai woh rape case tab hota hoga jab just after rape ladka uthta hoga aur bandi bolti hogi, ‘Arey, cuddle nahi karoge kya iske baad?’ Tab ladka chaku maarta hoga, ‘Chaku ke saath cuddle kar le.'”
Many viewers found this comment insensitive, criticising Madhur's casual comments about such issues.
How did Madhur Virli react to controversy?
Madhur quickly apologised and wrote, "This is to apologise for a video of mine that is currently being shared online. The clip being circulated is from a performance I did around two years ago. Soon after performing that bit, I understood how wrong it was and took it down at that time, long before the clip started circulating again recently."
"I do believe comedy can question ideas and engage with difficult subjects. But certain topics require sensitivity, context and informed discretion. When an attempt falls short, the only honest thing to do is acknowledge it, apologise and do better. This is one of those moments for me," Virli added.
"I am genuinely sorry," he concluded.
Madhur's Instagram page was deactivated six months ago.