Comedian jokes about Deepika Padukone's 'breakup wala' depression
What's the story
A stand-up comedy act on the comedy show India's Got Latent has stirred controversy after a joke was cracked about actor Deepika Padukone's recent motherhood and her fight with depression.
The comedian, Bunty Banerjee, is seen in a viral video clip making a mockery of these serious issues.
The 10th episode of the show was released on YouTube recently and this controversial segment has been making rounds on various social media platforms.
Joke details
Banerjee's controversial joke about Padukone's depression
In the viral clip, Banerjee is heard saying, "Deepika Padukone also became a mother recently, right? Great. Now she knows what depression really looks like."
The statement was greeted with laughter from the judges and the audience.
The camera then panned to show creator Samay Raina and other panelists Raghu Ram and Tanmay Bhat who were seen in disbelief and amusement.
Stance clarification
Banerjee further clarified her stance on depression
Banerjee later clarified her stance, saying she wasn't mocking the actor's depression over a breakup.
She said, "Actual depression happens when your sleep breaks, and your kid wakes in the middle of the night at 3:00am and the kid wants to eat poop or play at any order."
She added, "I am not trying to insult breakup-wala depression," before pausing and adding, "I am."
Twitter Post
Watch the clip here
a contestant on India's got latent trolled #DeepikaPadukone for her fake sob story which she created to defame her ex. pic.twitter.com/E2v0FxM8b2
— V🐧 (@V_for___) November 17, 2024
Backlash and response
Social media backlash and Raina's response to controversy
The controversial clip has received over two million views on X, triggering a massive backlash. Users slammed the show and comedians for laughing at jokes about depression.
"Everyone in this frame should be ashamed of themselves. There are no such categories for depression," wrote one.
Addressing the criticism, Raina wrote, "Guys it's not fair. You cannot outrage on Twitter. Please outrage on my YouTube comments section so there is some ad revenue at least."
Advocacy and reaction
Padukone's mental health advocacy and Bhat's reaction highlighted
Padukone has been a vocal advocate for mental health, having founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation to help those suffering from depression, anxiety, and stress.
Many netizens took special notice of Bhat—who had previously opened up about his own "clinical depression" in 2019—as he was seen reacting to Banerjee's joke.
The incident has reignited discussions about the need for sensitivity when addressing mental health issues.