Munawar Faruqui’s joke sparks controversy; comedian issues apology.
Munawar Faruqui issues an apology for his controversial joke about Konkanis, after backlash and threats on social media.
Comedian Munawar Faruqui, who is best known for winning Salman Khan-hosted reality show Bigg Boss 17, issued a public apology on Monday following backlash over his controversial joke made during a performance in Taloja. The uproar began after a video clip surfaced showing Faruqui making a derogatory remark about Konkanis. In the video, he is heard saying, “Konkani Log Chu**** Banate Hai,” which translates to “Konkanis fool others.”
Faruqui has since clarified that his comments were part of “crowd work,” a common practice in stand-up comedy involving interaction with the audience. In his apology, he expressed regret for any hurt caused, stating, “I have noticed that some people are getting hurt over my clip and as a comedian, I don’t want to hurt anyone. Maine jispe joke kiya tha wo logon ne bhi bahut enjoy kiya tha show. Show pe bhi sab log the, Marathi log the, Muslim log the, Hindu log the (The people I made the joke about also enjoyed the show a lot. There were people from all backgrounds at the show— Marathis, Muslims, Hindus). But when we see such things on the internet, and we notice it, we understand the issue. I want to apologise and say sorry to all. Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra.”
The incident drew significant attention, with BJP MLA Nitesh Rane threatening Faruqui in a video, saying, “Won’t take long to send a green snake like you to Pakistan.” This comment added fuel to the already intense reaction the comedian faced on social media.
The backlash also caught the attention of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) supporters, who criticised Faruqui’s remarks. This is not the first time Faruqui has faced controversy for his humour. In 2021, he was criticised for allegedly mocking Lord Ram, leading to his arrest and subsequent bail. The previous incident also resulted in severe online trolling and cancellations of several of his shows.
Despite the initial applause from his audience during the Taloja performance, the viral clip led to a growing political and social backlash.
