Munawar Faruqui, a stand-up comedian, got himself into trouble after posting a joke on social media. In response to Justin Bieber’s announcement that a viral ailment has temporarily paralysed one side of his face, the Lock Upp winner wrote a joke aimed at India’s political situation. “I completely understand, Justin Bieber. “Right side not working correctly (sic) even here in India,” he said on social media. Bieber said that he had Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, a rare disease.
While some fans welcomed the return of the ‘purana wala Munawar,’ several social media users believed he was making light of Bieber’s condition. He was also chastised for making light of someone’s plight in his jokes.
“Making jokes about someone else’s condition merely demonstrates how jahil you are… “It doesn’t make you humorous,” one Twitter user said, while another added, “Wtf?? What’s so humorous about this, that you think making a joke about someone’s condition is amusing?” Many of his followers, including actors Prince Narula and Pragati Mehra, chuckled at his tweet, while another user commented that the joke was not humorous. “You all think this is funny????” they wrote.
Munawar Faruqui’s sense of humour has landed him into trouble before. He has been at the eye of the storm for the majority of 2021, and spent a month in jail last year for allegedly “insulting Hindu gods and goddesses” during one of his gigs. Over a dozen of his gigs were cancelled after he was freed on bail. The comedian then stated in a statement that he was imprisoned for a joke he never delivered. He’d also intimated that he’d had enough of humour. “Nafrat jeet gayi, artist haar gaya,” says the artist (hate has won, artist has lost). I’m finished; good-by. “Injustice,” he wrote.
Munawar recently appeared in a music video with his girlfriend Nazila. He has also confirmed the release of two additional videos. While he was scheduled to appear on Khatron Ke Khiladi 12, he has failed to receive permission from the visa authorities.