Mumbai-based comedian Agrima Joshua recently found herself in the midst of a controversy over a joke that allegedly insults Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. After being criticised, receiving rape and death threats on social media, Joshua apologised.
Actor Swara Bhaskar took to her Instagram to share the video of Agrima Joshua, as well as the rape threat by a popular social media user directed at the comedian. Bhasker urged people to take action by either tagging relevant social media accounts or by filing a complaint.
Her caption read, “A short story titled#journeyofajoke- a tale of a harmless joke, criminal intimidation and suppression of free speech in three video clips.#agrimajoshua#badassshubhamCheck out my instastories for the full context and all details.”
Kusha Kapila also posted a series of stories on her Instagram urging people to take action. She wrote, “If your first instinct to any content that you disapprove of, is to clap back with threats of rape and abuse, then it is a problem.”
Here are some more reactions:
I'm sorry but if we as a community are going to sit quiet while a fellow member is abused, threatened and also forced to bow down to pressure then we have failed.
As artists we have to keep standing for freedom of expression and rights or else we will never progress.
— Sahil Shah ?? (@SahilBulla) July 11, 2020
Simple question. Why nust it even escalate to a rape threat for people to uphold basic principles of free speech? #AgrimaJoshua
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) July 11, 2020
मेरी क्षमायाचना स्वीकार करे,
Please accept my humble apology,@cmoMaharashtra @authackrey@anildeshmukhncp@nitinraut@RajThackrey pic.twitter.com/uHBZMBPOfB— Agrima Joshua ?? (@Agrimonious) July 11, 2020
