Telugu Comedian Anudeep Katikala Arrested By Andhra Pradesh Police From Prayagraj, UP, for Jokes On Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan

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Andhra Pradesh Police arrested Telugu stand-up comedian Anudeep Katikala on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (UP). While Anudeep is based in Hyderabad, Telangana and often performs live comedy shows in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Karnataka, he was visiting Prayagraj to be with his family, who reside there. He was arrested for allegedly making jokes, which included derogatory and insulting comments against Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan and his family members.

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Jan Sena Party Worker BV Krishna Complains To Andhra Pradesh Police

The arrest comes three days after an FIR was filed by the Andhra Pradesh Police based on a complaint by Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader Bade Venkat Krishna. In his complaint, B Venkata Krishna claimed that Anudeep mocked and insulted JSP chief Pawan Kalyan and South Indian actor Ram Charan in one of his stand up shows, which was also uploaded on YouTube.

Kakinada One Town Police Station of the Kakinada district in Andhra Pradesh has registered the FIR and is investigating into the matter. Anudeep has been charged under Sections 356(2) (defamation), 353(2) (making statement containing false information, rumour or alarming news with intent to promote enmity between different groups) and 79 (insulting modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 67 (publishing obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act.

Konidela Pawan Kalyan is the deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and is a famous South Indian actor, who is revered by his fans in Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring south states. Ram Charan is the son of Chiranjeevi, both stalwarts in South Indian cinema, and Pawan Kalyan and Chiranjeewi are brothers. 

What Did Anudeep Joke About In His Stand Up Act?

During a performance in The Underground Comedy Club Bangalore, Karnataka, Anudeep joked about Pawan Kalyan being divorced twice and having married thrice. He joked that his niece, Niharika Konidela, who was recently divorced, should ask her uncle Pawan Kalyan for marriage advice. 

Talking about Ram Charan, he used a Telugu expletive to describe him that loosely refers to a man living off his wife’s wealth. Ram Charan’s wife Upasan Kamineni is a businesswoman and the granddaughter of Prathap C Reddy, the founder of Apollo Hospitals. Anudeep joked around the above context that Ram Charan is seemingly a feminist, who appears secure even though his wife seems to be wealthier than him.

Anudeep uploaded the full video on YouTube, on April 8, 2026, which is still there. In the video, he also joked about actors Balakrishna and Jr NTR. He faced massive backlash from Pawan Kalyan fans after the video was released, and they demanded an apology from him, for allegedly insulting the super star. Many fans also gathered around the Street Comedy Club Venue in Hyderabad, where he was reportedly not found. 

Anudeep released a video later on social media issuing his apology, clarifying that he did not mean anything by his jokes, they were only to be taken non-seriously for fun and entertainment purposes. In his apology, he also stated that his intentions were not to insult or mock anyone, and that the audience should try to understand the intention behind comedy.

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Wanted To Destigmatise Divorce And Normalise Feminism: Anudeep

In his previous conversations with media channels, Anudeep had mentioned that he wanted to normalise feminism and remove the stigma around divorce, so that people would not get so consumed and depressed from it.  He also stated that the whole point of the joke on Niharika Konidela was that when one was in a difficult situation, they should try to get advice from someone who has already gone through it. 

He also mentioned in his video that divorce was a sensitive subject and a tough phase for people who were going through it. The jokes were only meant to lighten the stress around it, he added. Anudeep’s case highlights a growing and dangerous trend of stand-up comedians facing severe legal action for their humor. Recently, Kunal Kamra was charged with numerous FIRs, contempt charges, and the looming threat of arrest for his political satire. 

(Rh)

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