Today, it is not impossible for celebrities to keep a count of their fans. Look at new-age social media influencers, for instance, who actively keep a tab on their fan following on a real-time basis.

Not to mention, the power they wield in shaping public opinion and brand narratives is no less than the clout our traditional celebrities once enjoyed.

But, with a great ability to mobilise opinions comes the inevitable risk of running into controversies. That has been the case of Ranveer Allahbadia.

Controversies brewed beyond proportion in the last few days when BeerBiceps, as the podcaster is known on social media, made unspeakable remarks in a YouTube show on February 9.

Frothing backlash shaved over 46,000 followers off his pool of 45.27 Lakh on Instagram by February 11. On YouTube, BeerBiceps lost over 60,000 subscribers from 83.1 Lakh in three days, shows HypeAuditor, a data-driven influencer marketing platform.

Allahbadia, who received the National Creators Award before the Lok Sabha elections last year, made the comment on comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show, India’s Got Latent. The comment quickly went viral, sparking outrage among netizens and drawing sharp criticism from politicians, leading to calls for action against him and others involved in the show.

From FIRs to condemnations and cancellation of upcoming shows by celebs continued to rain, posing a significant challenge for the influencer, who had built a strong personal brand through collaborations with top-tier companies like Spotify, Mountain Dew, Amazon Prime Video, Intel, and Wow Skin Science.

According to a Times of India report, Allahbadia’s net worth exceeds INR 60 Cr and he receives almost INR 35 Lakh a month from YouTube and his business ventures.

Influencer Misadventure Backfires

As the Allahbadia controversy spilled out of social media, the National Commission for Women (NCW) summoned him, along with fellow panellists Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, Apoorva Makhija (popularly known as The Rebel Kid), show host Raina, and the show’s producers Tushar Poojari and Saurabh Bothra. A hearing has been scheduled for February 17.

An FIR has been filed against them in Assam for “promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit and vulgar discussion” on the show. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the FIR in a post on X.

On top of this, Maharashtra Cyber Cell, too, booked Allahbadia, Raina and other artists involved with the show for allegedly making obscene content during the show. A third complaint has also been filed against the creators of the show in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.

The matter also........

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