Popular stand-up comedian Abhishek Upmanyu has landed himself in hot water after allegedly supporting a controversial post made by a Pakistani social media user. The outrage escalated so rapidly that the comedian had to deactivate his X (formerly Twitter) account to escape the intense backlash.
Why is Abhishek Upmanyu being criticized?
It all began when Indian internet user Abhijit Iyer Mitra reposted a derogatory statement about women across the border. Reacting to this, a Pakistani user with the handle @lilmisskhawaja criticized India in her response. Abhishek not only liked her post but also commented “haan” (yes) in agreement, particularly on a section where she claimed:
“Indians deserve the racism they face in the West.”
This act was perceived as anti-national by many, especially at a sensitive time when national emotions were already high due to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack. Indian users began trolling Upmanyu heavily, demanding accountability for his alleged support of a pro-Pakistan sentiment.
Netizens react strongly
Soon after the controversy erupted, social media was flooded with criticism aimed at Abhishek. Hashtags like #BoycottUpmanyu and #UnfollowUpmanyu began trending. The digital outrage left the comedian with little choice but to deactivate his X account entirely.
Who is Abhishek Upmanyu?
Abhishek Upmanyu is one of India’s most popular stand-up comedians, known for his sharp wit and viral comedy videos. With over 2.7 million followers on Instagram and 5.26 million subscribers on YouTube, he has a massive fan base.
He first rose to fame as a writer for the comedy show “On Air with AIB”, and later carved a niche for himself in the Indian comedy circuit. However, his recent involvement in this political-social controversy has tarnished his public image.
Interestingly, other Indian comedians like Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia, Apurva Mukhi, Jaspreet Singh, and Ashish Chanchlani have also been caught in similar social media controversies in the past—and all of them share a close friendship with Abhishek Upmanyu.
