Amid 'Latent' row, Kapil Sharma's 'ma-baap ki kabaddi' joke resurfaces
What's the story
The controversy over Ranveer Allahbadia's inappropriate comment on India's Got Latent has brought back a 2023 video of comedian Kapil Sharma. The clip from The Kapil Sharma Show has been doing the rounds on social media and received over three million views on Instagram in a day. In the video, Sharma jokes about children waking up early to watch cricket matches and then watching their parents "wrestle" before going back to sleep.
Audience reaction
Here's what Sharma had said
Speaking in Hindi, Sharma talks about the craze of cricket in our country, for which kids can wake up at any hour. "Cricket match has to start at 4:00am, but the kids sometimes get up at 2:00am, watch 'ma-baap ki kabaddi (parents play kabaddi)' and go to sleep." The video was shared by Instagram user @x.memez1, who wondered why Sharma's joke didn't create a controversy when it first aired.
Joke explanation
Sharma's clarification and audience interpretation
In the original video, which is available on SET India's channel, Sharma clarified his joke by saying, "Matlab maa baap ladrahe hote haina (I mean parents are often fighting)." The viral post garnered hundreds of comments, with some surprised that the joke went unnoticed two years ago. Others defended Sharma, claiming that his humor is more subtle and doesn't cross certain boundaries. One comment read: "Kapil is witty and smart. Kabaddi could very well mean a fight between the parents."
Controversy details
Allahbadia's remark and the ensuing backlash
The controversy started when Allahbadia asked a contestant on India's Got Latent, "Would you rather watch your parents have sex for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?" The inappropriate comment drew widespread condemnation. Despite Allahbadia's immediate apology, the backlash continued to grow. A formal complaint has been filed against him, fellow judge-social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, host-comedian Samay Raina, and the organizers of India's Got Latent.