Comedian Munawar Faruqui recently found himself at the center of a controversy following a joke he made about the Konkani community during a performance in Taloja. A video clip from the show surfaced online, where Faruqui was heard saying,
“Konkani Log Chu**** Banate Hai,” which roughly translates to “Konkanis fool others.”
The remark triggered widespread backlash and threats on social media.
Munawar Faruqui, who gained fame as the winner of Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss 17, issued a public apology on Monday in response to the criticism.
He explained that the comment was part of “crowd work,” a typical aspect of stand-up comedy that involves interacting with the audience. Faruqui expressed regret for any offense caused, stating,
“I have noticed that some people are hurt by my clip, and as a comedian, I never intend to hurt anyone. The people I joked about enjoyed the show. There were people from all backgrounds—Marathis, Muslims, Hindus—at the performance. But seeing it online, I understand the issue, and I want to apologize to everyone. Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra.”
कोकणावर खूप खूप प्रेम आणि माझी माफी❤️ pic.twitter.com/pUSPYuZ9Kf
— munawar faruqui (@munawar0018) August 12, 2024
The incident sparked significant attention, with BJP MLA Nitesh Rane responding with a video threat, stating,
“Won’t take long to send a green snake like you to Pakistan.”
.@munawar0018 pic.twitter.com/p8CxplcVdd
— Nitesh Rane (@NiteshNRane) August 12, 2024
This added to the intense reaction Faruqui faced on social media.
The controversy also drew criticism from supporters of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), who condemned Faruqui’s comments. This isn’t the first time the comedian has faced backlash for his humor. In 2021, he was arrested after being accused of mocking Lord Ram, an incident that led to online trolling and cancellations of several of his shows.
Despite receiving applause during his Taloja performance, the viral clip has now led to significant political and social repercussions.
