A video from stand-up comedian Madhur Virli’s 2024 show ‘Love & Latex’ has surfaced amid ‘Rs 370 ki biryani’ row and shows him making remarks about rape.
Inside comedy shows, people laughed. Outside, many did not.
For survivors, rape is not just a topic, it is a life-altering trauma marked by fear, violation and long-term psychological scars. Yet, a joke about “cuddling after rape” drew laughter in an old stand-up clip now going viral, leaving many questioning how such deeply painful experiences are being reduced to punchlines.
A video from stand-up comedian Madhur Virli’s 2024 show ‘Love & Latex’ has surfaced amid ‘Rs 370 ki biryani’ row and shows him making remarks about rape.
In the video, Virli jokes about rape cases in a way that many users found offensive. The clip quickly spread on social media, with people saying that topics involving violence and trauma should not be used for comedy.
In the clip, Virli says that out of 10 rape cases, nine involve only rape, while one involves murder after the assault. He goes on to describe that in such a case, the victim might ask the perpetrator about “cuddling” afterwards, prompting him to stab her.
Several users also criticised the audience reaction in the video. One user wrote, “This isn’t smart writing or edgy comedy. This is harmful. When jokes normalise putting down certain groups of people, it does something to society that we don’t even realise at the moment.”
Another said, “The shocking part isn’t even the joke. It is the audience’s reaction, the audacity to sit there and laugh.”
