A comedy night in Bengaluru meant for laughs, jokes, open mic fun suddenly turned into a tense political flashpoint when a group of men walked onto the stage and turned the spotlight away from punchlines and onto protests.
The incident took place on April 25 at a venue in Koramangala, Bengaluru, where Sarat Uday was performing a stand-up set. The audience was settling into the rhythm of humour when, unexpectedly, a few men from the crowd climbed onto the stage.
A comedy night in Bengaluru meant for laughs, jokes, open mic fun suddenly turned into a tense political flashpoint when a group of men walked onto the stage and turned the spotlight away from punchlines and onto protests.
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They introduced themselves as supporters of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and immediately raised objections to earlier jokes made by the comedian. According to reports, they claimed Sarat had “insulted” Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and minister Nara Lokesh in a previous performance.
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The group demanded an on-the-spot apology to Naidu, Lokesh, and TDP workers. They also raised slogans like “Jai Telugu Desam Party,” and insisted the comedian repeat chants such as “Jai TDP,” “Jai Lokesh Anna,” and “Jai Chandrababu Naidu.” Sarat Uday refused to comply with the slogans.
Old YouTube video sparks fresh backlash
The trigger for disruption was YouTube video titled “Andhra Politics” uploaded by Sarat Uday in December 2024. In that video, the comedian had made satirical remarks about several political parties in Andhra Pradesh including YSR Congress Party, Jana Sena Party, and the TDP.
While the video was meant as political satire, it had already created controversy at the time of its release. Sarat had reportedly received abusive messages and threats following its upload. In response to that earlier backlash, he had issued a public apology in 2024 and said he would stay away from political comedy going forward.
Speaking later about the Bengaluru incident, Sarat pointed out that the controversy was not new. He said he had already apologised months earlier and that the issue had settled long ago. He also mentioned that if critics had checked properly, they would know the apology was in place since 2024.
Apology on stage, slogans in return
During the disruption, Sarat Uday again addressed the concerns raised in front of the audience. He apologised to Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh, and TDP cadres while the group continued to speak over him.
However, the apology did not end the confrontation. One of the men reportedly questioned Sarat over his remarks related to the 2003 assassination attempt on Naidu, while another objected to jokes referencing the Tirupati laddu controversy, claiming they had hurt religious sentiments.
Even after the apology, the group continued raising slogans inside the venue.
Eventually, the group left the venue. Before exiting, they allegedly demanded refunds and, in a final act of anger, threw a couple of empty chairs.
Comedian calls for legal route
Sarat Uday said that anyone who has issues with a comedian’s content should use legal and formal processes instead of entering performances and disrupting them.
He also referred to earlier incidents involving stage interruptions in comedy shows, saying such behaviour was becoming normalised. According to him, allowing such disruptions creates an unsafe environment for both performers and audiences.
Sarat stressed that if any artist crosses legal or constitutional limits, the law should take its course. But he added that performances should not be stopped midway through confrontation on stage.