Within a week of his release from Indore jail, standup comedian Munawar Faruqui triggered curiosity of his fans and opposers alike after he shared promo of his upcoming video "Munawar Faruqui leaving comedy". The video was his first after he walked free on February 6 after he was jailed for nearly a month over allegations of "insulting Hindu Gods and home minister Amit Shah".
Faruqui's first video, titled "Munawar Faruqui Leaving Comedy", was released on Sunday, nearly a week after his release, on his YouTube channel. In the 10-minute-long video, he spoke about his passion for comedy, his intention of not hurting anyone's sentiments. However, he did not name anyone in the video nor did he speak about his time in jail. While everyone waited for the point where he would announce his retirement from comedy, there was a catch. Towards the end he said it was a "typo" in the subtitle that said "leaving" instead of "living".
In the beginning, Faruqui looks bit lost and one may think it is the month-long incarceration that has had impacted. The video is interspersed with his "Razzaq bhai's" comic relief. He spoke about how the world of Internet has changed over the years and how hare has overtaken everything.
"I can't leave comedy. It keeps me going. The sound of the laughter gives me energy and the ones who don't like me, I will try to win them over too with my comedy.
"I have a thousand reasons to leave comedy, but there is one reason that keeps me going," he says as the audio fades into the sound of audience clapping and cheering for him on the stage.
He hasn't given any direct statement after his release, but with this video the message has gone that he will continue with his work. On Tuesday he posted a picture of himself on Instagram. Wearing his brightest smile, Faruqui captioned the photograph with his poetry. "Mere ander ke andheron ko karne do shikayat, Hasa kar lakhon chehron ko Roshan kiya hai maine," he wrote as he thanked his fans for love and support.
A slight controversy followed this post too after people claimed that this post was aimed to instigate those who were offended with his jokes. He cryptically replied to such remarks on Twitter.
Ek hi tarkeeb aati hai muje ghum chupane kiFir bhi puch rahe hain woh wajah mere muskurane ki... #spreadlove #spreadsmile— munawar faruqui (@munawar0018) February 11, 2021
Arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, Faruqui was in Indore jail since January 1. n February 5, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail after the Madhya Pradesh High Court had rejected his bail plea on January 28. The apex court also stayed the production warrant issued against Faruqui by a court in Prayagraj in connection with an FIR lodged there.