Last Thursday, Mumbai-based comedian Azeem Banatwalla put up an Insta story that announced a comedy special he is launching. He chased the announcement with a clarification: it would be heavily edited, and those who wished to watch the self-censored bits could get in touch with him, join him on a live Zoom session and pay to view. 

When Banatwalla started work on the special two years ago, the political climate of the country was different, he says. No OTT platform is keen to showcase it now, because it’s in English and addresses politics. “I thought why not then go pay to view. When you shell out cash, you show a certain investment in the content. It will come from those who are unlikely to be offended,” he reasons. Banatwalla tells mid-day plainly that he took a decision this year that he won’t push the envelope beyond a point. The consequences of calling a spade a spade in India range from horrific trolling to legal wrangle and even being slapped with Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). “The message behind my edited special is that today in India, this is what comics have to do to get their work out. From now on, I will stick to social commentary. Religious and political discourse can affect my livelihood. I don’t want anyone to say, he makes a living by making fun of Hindus. I may speak my mind as Azeem, the person, but not as the comedian.”