Stand-up comedian and Bigg Boss 17 winner Munawar Faruqui issued a public apology on Monday following backlash over a controversial joke he made about the Konkani community. The comedian took to social media platform X to share a video clarifying his intentions and expressing regret for any offense caused.
The controversy erupted after a clip from one of Faruqui’s recent shows circulated online, in which he made a remark that offended many within the Konkani community. During an interaction with the audience, Munawar Faruqui was heard saying, “Konkani log c****** banate hai (Konkanis fool others),” a statement that sparked outrage among social media users.
कोकणावर खूप खूप प्रेम आणि माझी माफी❤️ pic.twitter.com/pUSPYuZ9Kf
— munawar faruqui (@munawar0018) August 12, 2024
In response to the backlash, Faruqui posted an apology video on X, alongside a tweet in Marathi that read, “Much love and my apologies to Konkanis.” In the video, he addressed the issue in Hindi, acknowledging the hurt caused by his words. “I have noticed that some people are getting hurt over my clip, and as a comedian, I don’t want to hurt anyone,” he said.
Faruqui further explained that the joke was well-received by the live audience at the show, which included people from diverse backgrounds. “The people I made the joke about also enjoyed the show a lot. There were people from all backgrounds at the show — Marathis, Muslims, Hindus,” he added.
Despite the positive reception during the performance, Munawar Faruqui admitted that the context can change when clips are shared online. He concluded his apology with a message of unity, stating, “But when we see such things on the internet, we understand the issue. I want to apologize and say sorry to all. Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra.”
The response to Faruqui’s apology was mixed. While some social media users supported the comedian, others criticised him for the joke. One user commented, “Never make fun of your religion, otherwise you won’t even be able to apologize,” while another said, “Always with you, bhai. No matter what…we all know you will never hurt someone.”
