IGL aftermath: Anubhav Bassi's Lucknow gigs cancelled; fans can it "unfair"

It has been over a week since Ranveer Allahbadia began facing legal troubles after making an inappropriate comment about parental sex on Samay Raina's show, India's Got Latent. Ranveer's derogatory remark about parents sparked massive backlash online. Amid the ongoing controversy, another comedian, Anubhav Singh Bassi, is also facing the heat.

Anubhav Singh Bassi's Lucknow gigs cancelled over indecent language

Anubhav Bassi's stand-up comedy show Kisi Ko Batana Mat was scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow on February 15. However, the Uttar Pradesh Police denied permission for the show, citing 'objectionable content' and 'threats from protestors'.

According to Hindustan Times, a letter dated February 14 from Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission vice-chairperson Aparna Yadav requested the Director General of Police, Prashant Kumar, to cancel the event. The police did not issue the NOC, citing security concerns.

A team member from Ankur Bhargava, the founder of Oriole Entertainment, told HT, "As part of our India tour, our Agra show happened (Friday), and we are doing a show in Kanpur today. Yes, both our Lucknow shows were cancelled, and we were told that there was a threat from protest groups, so the permission was denied."

Bassi's show has been canceled due to the ongoing controversy surrounding Ranveer and Samay. As the news of the cancellation went viral, fans voiced their support for the comedian, calling the decision unfair.

Netizens react

One user wrote, "Worst decision."

Another user commented, "Because of one person, now others will suffer. Genuine comedians who want to perform without crossing the line will now get punished."

For the unversed, Anubhav Bassi made his Bollywood debut in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, which also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor.

What did Ranveer say at India's Got Latent?

In the viral clip, Ranveer is heard asking, "Would you rather watch your parents have sex for the rest of your life, or would you join in once and stop it forever?"

After facing immense backlash and multiple FIRs, Ranveer issued a public apology last Monday. Taking to social media, he said, "My comment was not just inappropriate—it wasn't even funny. Comedy is not my forte. I'm just here to say sorry."

He continued, "Many of you have asked if this is how I want to use my platform. Obviously, this is not how I want to use my platform. I won't provide any context, justification, or reasoning for what happened. I take full responsibility. It was a lapse in judgment on my part, and it wasn't cool."

He added, "Family is the last thing I would ever disrespect. This experience has taught me to use my platform more responsibly. I have asked the makers of the video to remove the insensitive sections, and all I can say is sorry. I hope you can forgive me as a human being."