Mumbai Police Asks YouTube, Facebook to Block Tanmay Bhat Video

Advertisement
By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 31 May 2016 10:07 IST
Mumbai Police said Monday they had asked YouTube and Facebook to block a video poking fun at cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, sparking the country's latest row over freedom of expression.

Comedian Tanmay Bhat posted the clip, which also mocked famous Indian movie singer Lata Mangeshkar, on his Facebook page last week, angering right-wing politicians in Mumbai who complained to police.

Police in the western Indian city received two complaints - one from a local politician belonging to PM Narendra Modi's ruling Bhartiya Janata Party who said the clip was defamatory.

Advertisement

The other was from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, force spokesman Sangramsingh Nishandar said.

"We have sought a legal opinion. In the meantime we have written to YouTube and Facebook to block the above-mentioned video," Nishandar told AFP.

Advertisement

In the two-minute clip Bhat, a member of online comedy group AIB, mimics a conversation between Tendulkar and Mangeshkar.

He said Mangeshkar, who is 86, looked like she'd been kept in water for eight days and suggested she should die.

Advertisement

Bhat posted a comment with the video describing it as "nonsense".

"Also I obviously love Lata and Sachin, just having some fun," he wrote.

Advertisement

AIB fell foul of authorities last year when they were at the centre of an obscenity investigation over some sexually explicit jokes in a comedy "roast" show featuring several Bollywood stars.

Many social media users accused Bhatt's video of being vulgar and unfunny on Monday but also defended his right to make it.

"If only political parties got this worked up about rape, communalism & homophobia like they did about@thetanmay's video! #TanmayBhat," wrote one Twitter user.

"Totally agree. video is crass & not funny. But does he have right to make it? Hell Yes. #TanmayBhat," wrote another.

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Lumio Launches 55-Inch Variants of Vision 9 (2026), Vision 7 (2026) in India
  2.  Xiaomi 18, 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max Specifications Leaked Ahead of Debut
  1. UK's FCA Warns Premier League Clubs Over Unauthorised Crypto Sponsor Risks
  2. Vivo X500 Pro Max Display and Battery Details Surface Online in Early Leak; Largest Model Said to Feature 6.85-Inch Screen
  3. Google Introduces Fake Call Detection for Android Phones to Curb Call Spoofing Attacks
  4. Google Rolls Out Gemini Thinking Levels Across Platforms With 'Extended' Thinking Mode for All Users
  5. Samsung Galaxy A27 Reportedly Bags US FCC Certification Ahead of Anticipated Launch
  6. NYDFS, European Banking Authority Join Forces to Oversee, Monitor Stablecoin Activities
  7. Meta Reportedly Testing ‘Series’ Feature to Organise Instagram, Facebook Reels Into Episodic Collections
  8. Xiaomi 18 Tipped to Sport 6.4-Inch Display; Pro Models Said to Feature Dual 200-Megapixel Rear Cameras
  9. Realme P4R 5G India Launch Date Revealed Along With Design and Key Specifications
  10. Marvel's Wolverine Gets Visceral Gameplay Trailer at State of Play, Pre-Orders Now Live
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.