File photos of Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor and Karan Johar. PHOTOS: REUTERS
AIB Roast is a charity event which took place here in December 2014. A collection of over Rs.4 million was raised via the two-hour comic event, the edited version of which was posted on AIB's YouTube page Jan 28.
MNS Chitrapat Sena chief Ameya Khopkar said videos of the event - featuring Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar and actors Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh - in Mumbai last December have gone viral.
Khopkar, contending that the content of the programme was totally contrary to Indian culture and decency, demanded an "unconditional public apology" from all those involved in, failing which his organisation would not allow their movies to be screened.
Also, the MNS said that it would not allow Johar, Arjun and Ranveer's movies to be screened if they do not apologise.
Following complaints on the below-the-belt contents of the programme viewed by a 4,000-strong live audience in a city stadium, Education and Culture Minister Vinod Tawde ordered a probe Monday evening.
"The Culture Department officials shall examine the videos' content and if found vulgar, action would be initiated," Tawde said.
"Initial investigations indicate that the show was performed without a proper performance licence. We will register an FIR against them. Such vulgarity is a crime and, based on facts which will emerge, the government will file a case against them," Tawde said.
Similarly, an NGO, Brahman Ekta Seva Sansthan, lodged a complaint with the Saki Naka police expressing umbrage at the programme hosts who used abusive, offensive remarks loaded with sexual overtones during the comedy show.
In a detailed four-page complaint, Sansthan president Akhilesh Tiwari demanded action not only against Johar, Singh and Kapoor but also the show organisers and others.
Clips of the videos, which leaked out, were uploaded and went viral on various social networking sites and YouTube.
Tiwari contended that the the language used in the show was extremely abusive and ruined the fair image of Indian women and culture and also misguided today's youngsters.
The videos showed the crowd - which included several leading female Bollywood actors like Sonakshi Sinha, Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt besides a fair number of the women audience - enjoying, cheering, whistling and clapping at the offensive language blatantly mouthed by the trio of Johar, Arjun and Ranveer.
AIB stands for All India Bakchod, which comprises a team of stand-up comedians.
Video removed
The controversial video, which went viral since being posted on January 28, has been taken down from video sharing website YouTube.
The official Twitter handle of the comic group AIB posted: "Have taken down AIB Knockout for now. We will speak soon."
Celebrities respond
The negative reactions to the AIB Roast's humour has left a majority of Hindi film celebrities upset, and they have taken to Twitter to laugh off the matter.
Actor Sandhya Mridul wrote: "Chalo #AIBRoast off You tube. Sab khush? Now let's start scrutinising and punishing all those who use bad words. EVERYONE. ANYWHERE. ANYTIME."
Screenwriter Milap Zaveri supported the comic group, and posted: "Corruption, poverty, illiteracy, there r enough serious issues to tackle. Why target laughter? #AIBRoast n @AllIndiaBakchod we stand by you."
Another actor, Shruti Seth questioned "if the organisers of #AIBRoast flouted any rules, how were they allowed to perform."
"So the authorities were complicit in this 'vulgar' act? Don't let the moral police win. Next they'll come after our thoughts. #AIBRoast must be allowed back on YouTube (sic)," Shruti shared with her fans on the micro-blogging website.
Writer Chetan Bhagat argued if the event can be probed for abusive language, then the government "will also need to probe every college hostel in this country".
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who did not find the programme amusing, still supported the group's freedom of speech, and tweeted: "Watched AIB knockout and did not find it funny. So what? It is their prerogative to poke fun at each other and to put it on public domain."
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