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Business Standard
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Livetree Entertainment Brings Aiyyo Shraddha's So Mini Things to India one last time
PNN New Delhi [India], July 4: After winning hearts across three continents, ten countries, and over 45 cities, including a record-breaking 28 shows across the U.S., digital star and comedian Shraddha Jain a.k.a. Aiyyo Shraddha is returning to where it all began. Her smash-hit stand-up comedy specials Mini Things will take its final bow on home soil with upcoming shows in Mumbai (2 shows onJuly 19at Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion East), Chennai (July 26at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall in Harrington Road), Hyderabad (July 27at Shilpakala Vedika, Hitech City in Madhapur), and finally in Bengaluru (3 shows - 2nd August at Ambedkar Bhavan, 3rd August at MLR Convention Centre & 9th August at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts). Produced by Livetree Entertainment, the India tour kicked off earlier this month with packed shows in Pune and Delhi. Aiyyo Shraddha's comedy set draws from the charming curiosity of a two-year-old. Titled So Mini Things for the many whimsical detours it takes - mini stories, mini perspectives, mini versions of herself, the show is a mosaic of anecdotes rooted in Indian family life. What began as her first-ever stand-up set quickly snowballed into a global sensation... a journey that has touched audiences aged 6 to 60 across cultures, languages, and generations. "The opportunity to do this, to take these stories to so many people across the world... what an adventure it is!" exclaims Shraddha. "The only thing I worried about was missing flights! So many flights!" the comedian quips. The stellar show, brought to life by Livetree Entertainment, has been nurtured and produced with care from its very first outing. Known for curating premium live experiences with legends like Sonu Nigam, Hariharan, and Jagjit Singh, the company has powered So Mini Things across the U.S., Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. "It's always so heartwarming to see people across generations line up at the end to hug Shraddha, share stories, and often say they wish they'd brought their parents or kids. For those 90 minutes, we just want people to unwind, laugh, and leave feeling lighter," shares Sharath Vatsa, CEO and Founder of the company. For the uninitiated, Shraddha, an engineer and former RJ turned content creator, has carved a niche for herself in the comedy space with her clean, observational humour and unmistakable sincerity. She was awarded in 2024 by the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the title of 'Most Creative Creator - Female' at the National Creators Awards ceremony. It's a title Shraddha accepts with humility. "It just means I have to put more thought, more effort into my work and do it very responsibly," she avers. As Mini Things wraps up its run in India, Aiyyo Shraddha reflects, "It's been a very satisfying tour," she shares. "I will retire this material extremely contented with the journey it has made." We say, for anyone who's loved, laughed, or lived in the chaos of Indian family life, this one's truly not to be missed!
Express Tribune
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Ranveer Allahbadia's podcast returns on a strict watch
Earlier this week, Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh of the Supreme Court of India, permitted Ranveer Allahbadia to resume The Ranveer Show on his YouTube channel Beer Biceps. The YouTube podcast was put on hold after Allahbadia made inappropriate remarks during an entertainment programme, sparking widespread outrage and disgust among the Indian public. This new allowance by the Court is the second relief awarded to the podcaster. In a previous hearing, the Court had imposed a pause on The Ranveer Show "till further orders" and had placed a stay on filing fresh FIRs against Allahbadia. Heat of the trial In the last recent hearing, Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, representing the YouTuber, shed light on how the livelihoods of the 280 employees that work under Allahbadia for The Ranveer Show rest upon the Court's decision on running it. On the other hand, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Union and the states of Maharashtra and Assam, the two FIR's filed against Allahbadia. "Vulgar", "perverse" and "really troubling" were the words used by Mehta in describing the podcaster's remarks, urging the Court to "let him be quiet for some time" and pushing for strict guidelines regarding content creation. Mehta also reminded the Court that despite being summoned by the Gauhati Police, Allahbadia had not presented himself for investigation, to which Chandrachud retorted that the podcaster had written two letters to the Police, seeking a date and time for said investigation, but in vain. The Court rules The Court favoured the argument safeguarding the livelihoods of Allahbadia's employees but went on to place a strict moral guideline on his content, and consequently the content of all YouTubers and podcasters in India. He emphasised that while all citizens hold freedom of speech, this freedom is not absolute and must follow moral and legal guidelines. In-keeping with this advice, he asked the Union to propose a "very limited" set of guidelines which do not outrightly censor free speech. He also urged the government to consult stakeholders and the public to produce a framework, stating, "Everybody can contribute, and then we can determine the safest regulatory measure." Moreover, the Court asked the Gauhati Police to send Allahbadia a date and time at the earliest, and decided that it would rule over the travel ban imposed on the podcaster in a separate hearing. "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?" This is the question Allahbadia had asked a contestant on the February 9 episode of India's Got Talent, sparking massive outrage, subsequent FIRs and even death threats. Since the event, the National Creators Awards winner and the creator of the show, Samay Raina, have apologised and taken down all previous episodes of The Ranveer Show. That this remark gained unprecedented traction, made Indian headlines and primetime news may be due to the popularity of Allahbadia's work as a YouTuber and podcaster. Having hosted both local and international celebrities on this podcast forum, Allahbadia's work saw the great heights of acclaim, and as is the case always, the great depths of disdain following his crude remarks. While a great chunk of the mammoth Indian population resonated with Mehta's concerns regarding the perverse nature of comedy being generated in the country, a separate faction digressed. "It feels like the state is trying to make an example out of Allahbadia," said Apar Gupta, founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation. Saket Gokhale, an opposition lawmaker, agreed, writing on X, "Crass content can be criticised if it offends you. However, you cannot have the state persecute and lock up people for offending your 'moral sentiments'" Other comedians took the opportunity to criticise the media on its monolithic view of the case and its blind condemnation of all digital content. Whatever the case may be, this particular incident has caused a domino effect surrounding conversations about the need for passing punchy comments to go viral online, its consequences and the freedoms and limitations of thought and speech within India's obscenity laws.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
YouTuber's 'dirty' comments spark massive row in India
"Dirty." "Perverted mind." "Disgusting." These were the words India's Supreme Court used on Tuesday while granting interim protection from arrest to a popular YouTuber who has been in the eye of a storm in the country over the past week. The furore began after Ranveer Allahbadia, whose YouTube channel BeerBiceps has eight million followers, asked a contestant the question: "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?" The comments, made on the show India's Got Latent on 9 February, sparked massive outrage, police cases and even death threats. YouTube quickly removed the episode, but that didn't stall the tide of anger directed at Allahbadia and the show. In fact, the amount of attention the incident has received is mind-boggling: it has made national headlines, been covered on primetime TV and some of India's most prominent news sites have even run live pages. Not surprising, considering the star status of Allahbadia. He has interviewed federal ministers, top Bollywood celebrities, cricketers and Hollywood actors. And last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed him a "National Creators Awards" trophy. Since the controversy erupted, Allahbadia and the show's creator, Samay Raina, have apologised for the comments and Raina has taken down all previous episodes of the show. The Supreme Court in its recent order banned Allahbadia from posting content on social media. But the incident continues to make news, "It feels like the state is trying to make an example out of Allahbadia," says Apar Gupta, founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation. Saket Gokhale, an opposition lawmaker, also condemned the targeting of Allahbadia and the show. "Crass content can be criticised if it offends you. However, you cannot have the state persecute and lock up people for offending your 'moral sentiments'," he wrote in a post on X. Popular comedian Vir Das also weighed in on the controversy and criticised news channels for their one-dimensional coverage of the incident and for taking a disparaging view of all digital content. Allahbadia's remarks and the subsequent backlash have triggered debates around free speech and India's obscenity laws; it has also sparked conversations around the thirst for viral content and the consequences its makers face when their content crosses lines upheld by the very people who watch it. Raina's show, which debuted in June, has been popular from the start, with each episode being viewed tens of millions of times on YouTube. And it hasn't shied away from kickstarting controversies either. The show has platformed some bizarre performances and judges and contestants have been seen making crass and crude comments more than a few times. Critics have accused the show of spewing misogynistic views and for body-shaming guests. A popular fashion influencer once walked out of the show after a male contestant compared her to a former adult film actress while another asked her about her "body count" (a slang term for the number of sexual partners a person has had). But that seems to have been the appeal of the show too. Fans of the show have hailed it for championing "raw talent and unfiltered jokes". Some have said that they liked the roasts - a form of insult comedy - which was popular on the show. Experts have underscored how, with the entertainment landscape exploding, digital content creators often feel compelled to push the envelope - even if it means resorting to the risqué and lewd - just to gain views and virality. It's safe to say the show pushed the envelope and the buttons of many. But then, it backfired. "A lot of comedy, especially of a certain masculine kind, is cruel and punches down on people. It has a violent undercurrent. So if you contribute to that culture, it's not a shock if it comes back to bite you some day," filmmaker Paromita Vohra says. She adds that successful comedy calls for a fine-tuned awareness of the audience it is being performed for and what boundaries it can push. Interestingly, Allahbadia's question, which sparked the furore, was almost identical to the question asked by the host of an Australian comedy show called OG Crew's Truth or Drink. While the question didn't spark outrage in Australia, it has in India. "The internet has made it possible for content to reach spaces and people it was not organically playing to. Unthinkingly appropriating content can have unexpected consequences," she says. But she also says that there's a need to guard against making such issues a question of morality. "When such controversies erupt, there is always the risk of morality being weaponised to punish people who have gone against what's accepted by society," she says and adds that morality is increasingly being beaten into the legal framework of the country, which can have a divisive effect. Some critics have also accused the authorities of using the controversy as a smoke screen to divert attention from other pressing problems - like unemployment and pollution. Some fear that it will be used by the federal government as a reason to justify further regulating content creation. After the controversy, a report by NDTV news channel stated that a parliamentary panel was considering making laws around digital content stricter. The Supreme Court too has pushed for more regulations around online content. Mr Gupta says the state already has a "tremendous amount of power" to prosecute people accused of flouting various data and content laws and that while the state exercises its powers without restraint, content creators don't have as many legal safeguards to protect them. "Instead of tighter laws, we need more reform; existing legal standards need to be more tolerant of free expression," he says. "Other systems, like education and digital learning should be strengthened so that young people know to get their education from the classroom, and turn to the internet only for entertainment."
BBC News
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
India's Got Latent: Ranveer Allahbadia's 'dirty' comments spark massive row in India
"Dirty." "Perverted mind." "Disgusting."These were the words India's Supreme Court used on Tuesday while granting interim protection from arrest to a popular YouTuber who has been in the eye of a storm in the country over the past furore began after Ranveer Allahbadia, whose YouTube channel BeerBiceps has eight million followers, asked a contestant the question: "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?"The comments, made on the show India's Got Latent on 9 February, sparked massive outrage, police cases and even death threats. YouTube quickly removed the episode, but that didn't stall the tide of anger directed at Allahbadia and the fact, the amount of attention the incident has received is mind-boggling: it has made national headlines, been covered on primetime TV and some of India's most prominent news sites have even run live pages. Not surprising, considering the star status of Allahbadia. He has interviewed federal ministers, top Bollywood celebrities, cricketers and Hollywood actors. And last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed him a "National Creators Awards" the controversy erupted, Allahbadia and the show's creator, Samay Raina, have apologised for the comments and Raina has taken down all previous episodes of the show. The Supreme Court in its recent order banned Allahbadia from posting content on social the incident continues to make news, "It feels like the state is trying to make an example out of Allahbadia," says Apar Gupta, founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation. Saket Gokhale, an opposition lawmaker, also condemned the targeting of Allahbadia and the show."Crass content can be criticised if it offends you. However, you cannot have the state persecute and lock up people for offending your 'moral sentiments'," he wrote in a post on X. Popular comedian Vir Das also weighed in on the controversy and criticised news channels for their one-dimensional coverage of the incident and for taking a disparaging view of all digital remarks and the subsequent backlash have triggered debates around free speech and India's obscenity laws; it has also sparked conversations around the thirst for viral content and the consequences its makers face when their content crosses lines upheld by the very people who watch it. Raina's show, which debuted in June, has been popular from the start, with each episode being viewed tens of millions of times on YouTube. And it hasn't shied away from kickstarting controversies either. The show has platformed some bizarre performances and judges and contestants have been seen making crass and crude comments more than a few times. Critics have accused the show of spewing misogynistic views and for body-shaming guests.A popular fashion influencer once walked out of the show after a male contestant compared her to a former adult film actress while another asked her about her "body count" (a slang term for the number of sexual partners a person has had).But that seems to have been the appeal of the show of the show have hailed it for championing "raw talent and unfiltered jokes". Some have said that they liked the roasts - a form of insult comedy - which was popular on the have underscored how, with the entertainment landscape exploding, digital content creators often feel compelled to push the envelope - even if it means resorting to the risqué and lewd - just to gain views and virality. It's safe to say the show pushed the envelope and the buttons of many. But then, it backfired. "A lot of comedy, especially of a certain masculine kind, is cruel and punches down on people. It has a violent undercurrent. So if you contribute to that culture, it's not a shock if it comes back to bite you some day," filmmaker Paromita Vohra adds that successful comedy calls for a fine-tuned awareness of the audience it is being performed for and what boundaries it can Allahbadia's question, which sparked the furore, was almost identical to the question asked by the host of an Australian comedy show called OG Crew's Truth or Drink. While the question didn't spark outrage in Australia, it has in India."The internet has made it possible for content to reach spaces and people it was not organically playing to. Unthinkingly appropriating content can have unexpected consequences," she she also says that there's a need to guard against making such issues a question of morality."When such controversies erupt, there is always the risk of morality being weaponised to punish people who have gone against what's accepted by society," she says and adds that morality is increasingly being beaten into the legal framework of the country, which can have a divisive critics have also accused the authorities of using the controversy as a smoke screen to divert attention from other pressing problems - like unemployment and pollution. Some fear that it will be used by the federal government as a reason to justify further regulating content the controversy, a report by NDTV news channel stated that a parliamentary panel was considering making laws around digital content stricter. The Supreme Court too has pushed for more regulations around online content. Mr Gupta says the state already has a "tremendous amount of power" to prosecute people accused of flouting various data and content laws and that while the state exercises its powers without restraint, content creators don't have as many legal safeguards to protect them."Instead of tighter laws, we need more reform; existing legal standards need to be more tolerant of free expression," he says."Other systems, like education and digital learning should be strengthened so that young people know to get their education from the classroom, and turn to the internet only for entertainment."
