The apology says he understood the content was wrong. What it does not explain is why that understanding never made it to the public until he was called out.
Screengrab from YouTube
Delhi-based stand-up comedian Madhur Virli posted a public apology on YouTube on June 14 after a clip from one of his old performances began circulating widely on social media. The statement came after days of intense public backlash and calls for legal action against him.
The video shows Virli making jokes about rape and murder. In the clip, he appears to explain why some perpetrators commit murder after rape. The content was widely condemned online, with many users calling it insensitive and offensive.
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In his written statement, Virli said the circulating clip was from a performance he did approximately two years ago. He stated that he recognised the content was wrong shortly after performing it and took it down at that time, well before the clip began recirculating in June 2026.
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And he acknowledged that while comedy can engage with difficult subjects, certain topics require sensitivity, context, and informed discretion. He said that when an attempt at that falls short, the honest response is to acknowledge it, apologise, and do better. He called this one of those moments for him personally.
On the deactivation of his Instagram account, Virli clarified in the statement that he had deactivated the account approximately six months before the controversy, and that the timing was unrelated to the backlash.
Virli is a Delhi-based comedian and YouTuber known for dark humour. He is an IIT Delhi graduate who left engineering to pursue comedy full-time winning the stand-up category at the InterIIT Cultural Meet in 2018. His YouTube channel features stand-up performances, vlogs, and his popular show “Madhur Model.” His 70-minute special “The IIT Dream” released in June 2024. It has crossed 9.9 million views.
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