Vijayawada: Hyderabad-based stand-up comedian Sarat Uday's performance in Bengaluru was disrupted on Saturday by a group of protesters, allegedly from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), over jokes he had made about Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and party president N Chandrababu Naidu nearly two years ago.
Despite the comedian having apologized for his remarks two years prior, the group forced him to apologize once again on stage. A video of the incident, which took place at Koramangala, has gone viral on social media.
Details of the Disruption
According to Uday, the disruption began shortly after he started his act. A man from the audience approached him, claiming to be a fan, but objected to his past remarks about Naidu. Soon, a few others joined him, and the group began hurling abuses at Uday. More people gathered, and they allegedly threatened to beat him up. The group also questioned his remarks about an assassination attempt on Naidu in 2003 by Naxals and warned Uday against repeating such content in his acts.
They reportedly tried to compel him to raise slogans in support of TDP leaders, which he declined, stating that his comedy referenced multiple political parties, including the opposition. The group left before police arrived at the venue.
Reactions from TDP Leadership
Reacting to the incident, AP state TDP president and MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao strongly condemned the protest. "The party will not encourage such behavior. We will not support any such protest against freedom of speech," he said.
However, he cautioned stand-up comedians, artists, political commentators, and individuals against making comments on sensitive issues. He stated that such individuals will face angry reactions from the public when they cross their limits of freedom of speech. "They think that they can earn instant fame by passing indecent or controversial remarks on reputed personalities. But they are thoroughly wrong," he added.
Previous Incidents Involving Comedians
Saturday's incident is the third involving comedians facing protests over political satire in Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, stand-up comedians Anudeep Katikala and Rafiq Muhammed were arrested by AP police in separate cases for their remarks against politicians from the ruling coalition in the state.
