A stand-up comedy show by Hyderabad-based comedian Sarat Uday was disrupted in Bengaluru after a group reportedly linked to Telugu Desam Party objected to jokes he had made nearly two years ago about Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The incident took place in Koramangala and was captured on video, which later went viral on social media. According to Sarat Uday, the disturbance began shortly after he started performing when a man from the audience, claiming to be a fan, confronted him over his earlier remarks about Naidu.
Soon, more people joined in, leading to verbal abuse and alleged threats of physical violence. The group reportedly demanded that the comedian issue another apology during the live show, despite him already apologising earlier for the old remarks.
They also objected to references made in his act about the alleged 2003 Naxal attack on Chandrababu Naidu and warned him not to use such content in future performances. Sarat Uday said the protesters even tried to force him to praise TDP leaders on stage, which he refused.
The group reportedly left the venue before police arrived.
Reacting to the controversy, AP TDP president Palla Srinivasa Rao condemned the disruption, stating that the party does not support protests against freedom of speech. However, he also advised comedians and public commentators to be cautious while speaking on sensitive issues, saying misuse of free speech could trigger public anger.
This is the third recent incident involving comedians facing backlash over political satire linked to Andhra Pradesh politics. Earlier, comedians Anudeep Katikala and Rafiq Muhammed were separately arrested over remarks targeting ruling coalition leaders.
