Apologise: TDP supporters storm comedian's show over Chandrababu Naidu joke

A stand-up comedy show in Bengaluru was disrupted after a group of alleged Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supporters stormed the venue and confronted Hyderabad-based stand-up comedian Sarat Uday over jokes he had made nearly two years ago about Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh.

The incident took place on Saturday when the stand-up comedian was about to perform a solo show at the Ministry of Comedy in the Koramangala area. A video shared by an X user shows that just minutes after he began performing, alleged TDP supporters walked onto the stage, abused him, and demanded an apology.

"We like your performances. However, you insulted our leaders (Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh) in one of your shows," a man claiming to be TDP supporter could be heard telling him in Telugu. Soon, other alleged supporters of the party emerged from the audience and gathered around him.

They were referring to a December 2024 video that the stand-up comedian had uploaded on YouTube, in which he joked about several politicians from Andhra Pradesh. One of his jokes referred to the assassination attempt against Naidu in 2003, while he also joked about his son, who is a minister in Andhra Pradesh Cabinet.

The stand-up comedian had also joked about several YSRCP leaders in the same video, including former ministers, Gudivada Amarnath and actor-turned-politician Roja.

Even after Uday stated that he had already apologised for his earlier remarks, the group of men allegedly forced him to apologise again on stage. When he refused to apologise, they verbally abused him and disrupted the show.

The group raised slogans of “Jai Telugu Desam Party” and reportedly demanded that Uday chant “Jai TDP,” “Jai Lokesh Anna,” and “Jai Chandrababu Naidu,” which he refused.

They also issued a “final warning”, cautioning him against making jokes against their leaders in the future. “If you make such a mistake once again, mark my words...," one of the men warned him in Telugu.

The alleged supporters eventually left the room, as the video posted on X shows.

Saturday’s incident was not isolated. Just days earlier, stand-up comedian Anudeep Katikala faced trouble after fans of actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan accused him of using offensive language and making defamatory remarks about the leader and his family.

A member of the Jana Sena Party, which is headed by Kalyan, also filed an FIR against the Hyderabad-based stand-up comedian, stating that such remarks could harm reputations and disturb public harmony.

TDP CONDEMNS SHOW'S DISRUPTION

Meanwhile, the TDP on Monday condemned the disruption of the stand-up comedy performance, terming the incident unacceptable and inconsistent with democratic conduct.

In a statement, party state president Palla Srinivasa Rao said objections to any form of expression must be addressed strictly through due process. “In a democracy, dissent must operate within the framework of law. Taking matters into one’s own hands is unacceptable,” he said.

Rao warned that such actions distract from substantive issues and risk sending the wrong signal to society. He urged party cadre to maintain discipline and avoid confrontational behaviour, stressing that restraint was essential to preserving institutional credibility.

At the same time, the party expressed concern over what it described as a pattern among some stand-up performers targeting political figures for visibility. “Comedy is meant to entertain, not provoke discord or undermine social harmony,” he observed.

Reiterating the party’s position, Srinivasa Rao advised workers to refrain from reacting to provocation and to pursue grievances only through legal channels. He cautioned that any deviation from this approach could damage the party’s reputation.