New Delhi (National Times): As controversy rages over YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and his alleged obscene remarks on India’s Got Latent, comedian Kapil Sharma is now under scrutiny for an old joke that has resurfaced on social media.
The viral clip, taken from Sharma’s Comedy Nights with Kapil days, features a joke about children waking up at 4 AM to watch cricket but instead witnessing their parents’ “kabaddi” before going back to sleep. While it was once laughed off as a double entendre, the joke is now facing criticism for its innuendo-laden humor, with some questioning why similar scrutiny wasn’t applied to Sharma.
Social Media Divided Over Kapil Sharma’s Joke
With discussions around inappropriate humor taking center stage, netizens on X (formerly Twitter) have expressed mixed reactions.
A user criticized the selective outrage, writing: “Kapil Sharma is considered a cultural icon, but when Samay Raina does comedy, people get jealous and try to bring him down.”
Another took a broader dig at mainstream entertainment: “Shows like Tarak Mehta and The Kapil Sharma Show represent everything wrong with our cultural landscape. The real issue is what we normalize.”
However, some defended Sharma, arguing that the backlash against Allahbadia was disproportionate: “Kapil Sharma has been making such jokes on national TV for years. But now, suddenly, we are pretending to have a moral compass?”
Another user pointed out a pattern in Indian comedy: “Kapil Sharma’s humor often includes sexist and body-shaming jokes, yet no one calls him out. True comedy legends like Surendra Sharma and Omar Sharif never needed cheap humor to entertain.”
The Larger Debate: Comedy, Censorship, and Double Standards
The resurfacing of Kapil Sharma’s old joke amid the Allahbadia controversy has reignited debates about censorship in comedy, selective outrage, and the evolving definition of acceptable humor. While some argue that comedy should be free from restrictions, others believe certain topics should be off-limits in mainstream entertainment.
As conversations continue, it remains to be seen if Sharma will address the viral clip or if it will eventually fade from public memory like many past entertainment controversies.
