Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui released a video on Sunday, a week after being released from prison. In the video, the 32-year-old comedian declared that he will win the hearts of people who don’t like him and also announced that he is not leaving stand up comedy
In the 10-minute video, Faruqui sarcastically expressed that it is never his intent to hurt anybody from any group. Faruqui with great finesse said, “How can I hurt someone’s feelings? How can I cause heart pain? I apologise four times even if I bump into someone by mistake. It can never be my intention to hurt someone’s feelings through my jokes.” Faruqui also took a dig at the ruling party and said how it is “someone’s politics” that can destroy one’s personal life and how the “herd mentality of people fighting on the internet” contributes to the same.
Faruqui added, “Some people are spreading hatred online. But why are we making them celebrities? You have to decide whether you want to spread love or hatred on the internet? I can’t give up comedy, I am alive because of it. I will win the hearts of the people who hate me. For this, I have to work harder. Every artist does not get this challenge. I have got it and will win their hearts.” The video also had shades of comedy in it as Faruqui was accompanied by ‘Razzaq Bhai’ a comic-relief character which the comedian played himself.
The 10-minute-long video titled “Munawar Faruqui Leaving Comedy” was released nearly a week after his release from prison where he was serving time for over a month. In the video, Faruqui can be seen and heard talking about his love for comedy. Faruqui’s video had a title that had a witty pun beneath its surface. Towards the end of the video, Faruqui announced that the title of the video has a “typo” in it and said that he is “living” comedy, instead of “leaving” it.
Watch the complete video of Munawar Faruqui after his month-long arrest
Munawar Faruqui, the story so far…
On January 1, Munawar was arrested in Indore after he was alleged of hurting religious sentiments during a new years’ eve show. Later, he was booked under the IPC 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) along with a Section 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life).
Munawar’s arrest set social media ablaze and many stand-up comedians along with netizens questioned the state of free speech in the country. Munawar was also arrested along with 4 of his friends on the basis of a complaint raised by MLA Malini Singh Gaur son Eklavaya Singh Gaur. In his complaint,
Gaur accused that Munawar made “objectionable remarks about certain Hindu deities. Additionally, Munawar was also accused of making remarks about the Indian Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his show.
The Comedian who was jailed for not making jokes
After Faruqui was jailed, the police found that there was no evidence that established the alleged claim. Later, it was revealed that Eklavya Gaur overheard the comedians making jokes during the show rehearsal. Later, it was revealed that Munawar’s arrest was based on “anticipation and presumption of him cracking the alleged jokes.
