"Death Threats Pour In...," Says Ranveer Allahbadia
Popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia has said he has been receiving death threats in the wake of his controversial remarks on the reality show India’s Got Latent. Amid mounting backlash, he has issued a public apology, that too for a second time, acknowledging his comments as “insensitive and disrespectful.”
In a statement posted on social media, Mr Allahbadia, who conducts podcasts with the most famous people from India and abroad and had won an award from Government of India for his influence, said, “My team and I are cooperating with the police and all other authorities. I will follow due process and be available to all agencies. My remark about parents was insensitive and disrespectful. It is my moral responsibility to do better and I am genuinely sorry.”
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He also revealed that individuals had entered his mother’s clinic under the guise of patients, adding, “I’m feeling scared and I don’t know what to do. I’m not running away. I have full faith in the police and the judicial system of India.”
Following the controversy, the Mumbai Police have summoned him for questioning. On Friday, officers from both Mumbai and Assam police visited his home in Versova, only to find it locked. Reports indicate that Mr Allahbadia had earlier requested that his statement be recorded at his residence, but this was denied.
In addition to the case filed in Mumbai, an Assam police team is seeking to interrogate him in connection with a complaint registered in Guwahati. The complaint, filed by a local resident, alleges that the YouTuber promoted obscenity in a publicly accessible online show.
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The case also names fellow guest judges Raina, Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija.
Addressing the controversy, Mr Allahbadia stated that his remark—intended as humour—was a lapse in judgement. “Comedy is not my forte. Just here to say sorry… Many of you asked if this is how I wish to use my platform. Family is the last thing that I would ever disrespect. I need to use this platform better, and that’s been my learning from this whole experience,” he said in a video statement on X.
Meanwhile, social media, especially from Kerala, was abuzz with another comment which was made in the same episode of the show run by Samay Raina.
The controversy began when comedian Jaspreet Singh, a judge on Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent, mocked Kerala’s literacy with the phrase, “Kerala, saar… 100% literacy saar”, mimicking a Malayali accent. His remark came after a contestant from Kerala stated she had no political leanings and did not vote. The panel, which included Ranveer Allahbadia, Apoorva Mukhija, and Ashish Chanchlani, had already questioned the contestant’s stance before Singh’s comment triggered further backlash.
Social media erupted, with Malayalis condemning the remark as an outdated stereotype. Many pointed out Kerala’s achievements in education, civic awareness, gender equality, and cultural harmony, arguing that literacy in the state extends beyond the ability to read and write—it represents a deep-rooted commitment to social progress.
Wafa Hussain, who is both a journalist at Timeline and a well-known influencer, posted a video addressing the comment. In her response, she defended Kerala’s progressive values and called out the misrepresentation of the state’s identity. While her video received widespread support, it also attracted a barrage of abusive messages.
