TDP supporters disrupt Bengaluru comedy show, force comedian Sarat Uday to apologise for two-year-old jokes

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The video had already faced backlash at the time it was posted. Sarat had received a wave of abusive messages and threats, and he subsequently issued a public apology in 2024, acknowledging that viewers had found the jokes hurtful and saying he would step back from political comedy. On Saturday night in Bengaluru, he reminded the group of this. However, it didn’t stop the group.

The men on stage demanded he apologise again, in person, in front of the audience, using abusive language while doing so. Sarat Uday complied, addressing his apology directly to Naidu, Lokesh, and TDP workers, but the group did not leave. They raised slogans of “Jai Telugu Desam Party” inside the venue and pushed the comedian to repeat their chants, specifically “Jai TDP,” “Jai Lokesh Anna,” and “Jai Chandrababu Naidu.” He refused, pointing out that since his original video had covered multiple parties, he was not going to publicly align himself with any single one.

One member of the group questioned how Sarat had dared to joke about the Naxalite assassination attempt on Naidu in 2003. Another said the comedian had hurt Hindu religious sentiment with his references to the Tirupati laddu adulteration episode. A warning was issued openly: “If you make such a mistake one more time, mark my words.” CCTV footage from the venue captured the group explicitly calling it a “final warning” and telling Sarat to be careful going forward. After the apology, the group demanded refunds for their tickets before eventually heading for the exit.

Not the first time

The incident is the third of its kind involving Telugu comedians within the space of a month. Earlier in April, comedians Anudeep Katikala and Rafiq Muhammad were arrested by Andhra Pradesh police over separate videos in which they made jokes about state Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. Katikala was picked up from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and taken to Kakinada, while Muhammad was arrested in Vizag and taken to Machilipatnam. Both cases were registered following complaints from Jana Sena leaders.