Humour is neither innocuous nor absolute. It can be used to make fun of those in power by exposing their hypocrisies, or it can be a way of protecting and projecting stereotypes. Just look at the depiction of women in a Sajid Khan comedy or Sikhs in Jo Bole So Nihal.
On the face of it, Tanmay Bhat’s brand of humour belongs to the former category. After all, he made fun of two of the most revered figures in India, Bharat Ratna awardees Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar. As someone who isn’t a big fan of either, I was expecting to be more than happy to see them taken down a peg with a bit of irreverence. Unfortunately, Tanmay Bhat’s Snapchat video betrays a sense of elitism, and somehow manages to turn Sachin and Lataji into underdogs. Here’s the video that’s been causing all the brouhaha.
Tanmay Bhat chose to attack both of them for things beyond their control. Yes, there is a Marathi lilt to the way they speak. They are from Maharashtra. Yes, Ms Mangeshkar is old. That doesn’t mean its okay to wish her dead. Make fun of Sachin for the ads he does, or his money, or the infamous refusal to pay taxes on his Ferrari. Laugh at Lata Mangeshkar for her record as a Parliamentarian, her sense of self importance. Leave the things that aren’t their fault alone.
There is a subtle assumption behind Tanmay’s jokes. They are meant for PLUs (people like us). The PLUs are the English-speaking elite, with a global pop culture literacy that makes us more familiar with Louis CK than Raju Srivastav. Making fun of Lata Mangeshkar or Sachin based on where they come from and how they speak is a shortcut that avoids genuine satire. It just plays on the inherent elitism of this class, the fact that the accents of national figures are not quite as good as the cast of your favourite sitcom.
The last time Tanmay Bhat was under fire was after AIB’s infamous ‘roast’ on YouTube. Back then people took offence to the abusive language and what was perceived by many to be content demeaning to women. The question back then was a simple one. The roast is an American comedic form where a celebrity volunteers to be ripped apart by a bunch of comedians. In a free society, with relative equality, that kind of humour has a place. In a country where girls are killed before they are born, it’s more than a bit insensitive.
When AIB was attacked for the roast, many of us stood by them because in a free society people do have the right to offend. Nothing has changed. Tanmay Bhat is an individual who said something that offended some people. The issue is not a political one and his actions certainly shouldn’t be considered criminal. However, that doesn’t mean that their content is beyond criticism.
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