Mumbai: Lyricist, filmmaker, and comedian Varun Grover, during his latest stand-up show as part of his ongoing tour Nothing Makes Sense, used his signature wit to comment on the state of free speech, governance, and the rising threats faced by comedians in today’s political environment.

Opening the show with a tongue-in-cheek disclaimer, Grover subtly referenced the recent controversy involving fellow comedian Kunal Kamra. He said,  "These are jokes. Venue ki isme koi galti nahi hai. Mera bhi nahi hai. Humare time ki hai. If offended, break a clock."
(“There is no mistake of the venue. I am also not the one to be blamed. But the time can be. If offended, break a clock.”)

This disclaimer was seen as a clever nod to Kamra’s stand-up show in Mumbai, where a few jokes about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led to members of the Shiv Sena vandalising the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where the show was staged.

Kamra earlier responded to the backlash by calling the incident “senseless,” comparing it to someone overturning a tomato truck just because they didn’t like their butter chicken. In a strong statement, Kamra said,  “I will not apologise... I don't fear this mob & I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down.”

Grover’s set further touched upon how unsafe it has become to be a comedian in the current socio-political climate. Referring to comedian Munawar Faruqui, he said,  "Comedians don’t live a very safe life. Anyone can be picked up from anywhere. You must know Munawar Faruqui had to go to jail just for a joke. He spent three months in jail. After that, he spent 100 days on Kangana Ranaut’s show — the situation is really bad. It’s very difficult to be a comedian right now."

Through sharp humour and satire, Varun Grover's set shed light on the growing intolerance towards comedians and the fragile state of artistic freedom in India, all while keeping the crowd laughing and thinking.