Starring AIB
Ranveer Singh
Arjun Kapoor
Karan Johar Release date 28 January 2015 (2015-01-28) | ||
All India Bakchod Knockout (abbreviated as AIB Knockout) was a roast comedy show that was held in Mumbai by All India Bakchod starring Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor as the roast and Karan Johar as the host (roast master). The show, uploaded on YouTube, went viral on the site.
Contents
The event was held at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Worli, Mumbai on December 20 and was uploaded on YouTube on 28 January. The episode, (popularly known as webisode) was made available in three parts; where at the beginning of the first part; viewers are warned about the nature of the video.
On 3 February 2015, AIB Knockout was removed from YouTube by AIB team due to the mounting controversies surrounding the show. While removing, AIB team tweeted, "Have taken down AIB Knockout for now. We will speak soon."
Notable attendees
Criticisms and controversies
Mumbai Police received several complaints about the usage of abusive language. FIR was then filed by Mumbai Police against the organisers for the show without acquiring any performance license. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis warned about action if the show was found to be vulgar and in violation of law. FIR was filed against 14 persons, including filmmaker Karan Johar and actors Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in Pune as well. A Mumbai court also directed the police to file FIRs against the organisers and prominent participants mainly citing the violation of the Indian Penal code dealing with conspiracy and obscenity.
Aamir Khan criticized Karan Johar (despite having not seen the video) for participating in the show, adding especially when his mother was sitting in first row. Sanjay Leela Bhansali also expressed his disapproval to the video as he found it "cheap" and wanted the actors (participants) to behave themselves.
With the show containing several religious comments, AIB Team also offered an unconditional apology to the archdiocese and the Christian community for any offence caused to religious sentiments. The apology came after several Christian organisations filling complaints against the use of insulting jokes on Jesus Christ and Catholics.
Bollywood director producer Karan Johar on 9th January 2016, received summons from Mumbai Police to record his statement in connection with the event that took place in December 2014.
Reactions
Many came out in support of AIB and the notion of free speech. The makers of Qtiyapa, The Viral Fever, in a video on YouTube aired their opinions on online democracy, freedom of expression and audiences' liberty to choose from variety of content online.
Russell Peters, an India origin Canadian comedian, panned Aamir Khan‘s criticism to the roast. In reply to Aamir Khan, Peters quoted, "Seriously, who is he, the so-called artist, to say that he found it violent and that AIB and rest involved should have been responsible? He did not even see it! Someone please ask him to shut up and take care of his own business. He is an actor; not even a real artist. He goes in front of the camera and reads out lines that someone else has written. Then, he is giving his opinion about something that is honest!"
Aamir Khan further clarified his stand on this issue; he said, “I respect everyone’s opinion. For me freedom of speech and expression is an important right and should be protected at all costs. But I also feel that freedom comes with responsibility which should be self-exercised. It’s unfortunate that caught between the rightwing fascists and the ‘no-holdsbarred’ faction, the moderates are in danger of losing their voice. I’m aware that if you sign up for the Roast, you sign up to insult each other. But, in this case, even those who hadn’t signed up were being targeted, like Farida Jalal, Reema Lagoo and a beautiful, young girl I love dearly. The young girl whom I’ve known since she was a kid, was the butt of racist and sexist jokes. She did not even know that a live audience was watching this and couldn’t protect herself. That is unfair! This is what I meant when I described the show as “violent”. Films which depict violence are fictional but this young girl is real. So my reaction was more emotional than moralistic. I wasn’t objecting to the use of expletives or adult jokes. If two consenting adults wish to insult each other, that’s their problem. But you can’t go around attacking anyone you feel like. That is no different from the physical violence we see around us and object to. And when someone uses the words “shut up”, it makes me believe that these people are certainly not a part of the group that is for freedom of speech.”
In response to Aamir Khan's statements, Anurag Kashyap posted a link on his Facebook page where Aamir had spoken in defence of the DK Bose song from the movie Delhi Belly (produced by Aamir Khan). Aamir had said, "I have already informed my audiences that it is an adult film. Please do not go with your kids and those who have a problem with this kind of language shouldn't come either. I try my best to inform the audiences before-hand. Then they can decide themselves. If the audience is adult, they can decide themselves. So from my end I do all these things for my fans."
Shah Rukh Khan has stated that he would not like to take sides saying that humour has always been a tricky thing and it always generates different reactions.
Comedian-actor Vir Das along with the Comedy Nights With Kapil stars Sunil Grover (popularly known as Gutthi) and Kiku Sharda (known as Palak) have condemned the filing of an FIR against the celebs or makers involved in it. All three of them are of the opinion that the humour may be good or bad, but the freedom of expression should not be restricted.
As per a report on Bollywoodlife.com, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is not very happy about Ranveer Singh's involvement in the AIB Knockout roast. Ranveer, who was then shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani, got an earful from the director, the report stated. Further to the report, Bhansali also advised Ranveer to behave like Salman and Shah Rukh and not like a 'chichora'