Bhopal: On the morning of March 16, a comedian woke up to a tyre burning on his terrace – an alleged act of intimidation by neighbours attempting to seize his home in Pithampur.
A group of men linked to a local politician allegedly turned violent when he confronted them. They beat him and his brother, who had tried to intervene.
Seeking protection, he rushed to the police station to file an FIR, but an officer in civil dress turned him away, he said.
Back home, a mob of at least 50 men gathered outside, and with no police in sight, he went live on Instagram for his safety.
It took nearly two hours for the police to arrive, and even then, they allegedly agreed to register his complaint only if he switched off his camera.
This is the story of Nalin Yadav. He was once a full-time comedian; after his career was derailed, he now works in real estate.
His other identity – the man who went to jail with Munawar Faruqui and spent 57 days for a joke he never cracked.
Yadav, in a conversation with The Wire, said: “The people around my house are linked to a former BJP councillor who keeps switching parties. Since he is no longer in office, I don’t know which party he belongs to now. Around 30 to 40 of his associates live nearby, and except for mine, all the houses here are under his control.
“When my mother passed away, they tried to buy my home at a throwaway price. Their method is simple – they lend money at high interest and eventually seize properties. I refused to sell.”
Living under threat: harassment and isolation
According to an FIR filed based on Yadav’s complaint, he went to his terrace around 6:30 am on March 16 and saw a motorcycle tyre burning. When he questioned his neighbour Vijay Chopde, the latter and his tenants allegedly hurled abuses at him.
When Yadav protested, they allegedly attacked him and his brother, kicked his door in and threatened to kill him if he went to the police. He accused the Dial 100 police and Pithampur police station of passing the responsibility onto each other.
Yadav alleged, “the cops arrived shouting and misbehaving – ‘chal, tujhe diqqat hai, teri report likhenge’ [‘Alright, you have a problem, we’ll write your report’]. They started writing, but kept it to minor scuffles and abuses. I told them, ‘My house was set on fire. You saw 30 to 40 men outside.’ Soon, 40 to 50 men gathered at the police station. I called my lawyer friend to build pressure, and the police finally registered my FIR – diluted, but with what we could force in.”
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This wasn’t the first attack. On Diwali last year, a fire broke out on the terrace where his tenants lived. Yadav perceived it as a firecracker at first.
Another fire incident occurred within a month, prompting him to warn his neighbours that their tenants may be leaving behind burning substances.
The third time, there was no doubt – it was deliberate as the attackers had made a hole in the back wall of his home. Tensions escalated when Yadav countered them.
“Even the police don’t spare me. They still call me a terrorist – or whatever worst label they can use for a Muslim. They don’t respect me. They’re tired and ask, ‘Why don’t you just leave?’,” he alleged.
Yadav has had multiple FIRs filed against those trying to seize his home, but his attackers have never been jailed. Instead, counter-FIRs were filed against him, and police served him notices for “quarrelling” and “endangering lives”.
A month after his 57-day jail stint ended in 2021, he was harassed and left for new cities like Mumbai and Delhi to rebuild his career. His younger brother was assaulted and left bedridden for months in his absence.
On New Year’s Eve in 2023, Yadav was attacked again during a performance. A group stormed the stage, chanting “Bharat mata ki jai” and “comedian Bharat chhodo [‘comedian leave India’]”.
Three years after his release from jail – he was still paying the price for standing in support of a Muslim comedian.
Yadav and his brother were also attacked. A group of men allegedly beat them, hurled abuses at them and once again branded him “anti-national”. It was only then that he filed his first FIR.
“They know we have no one. They use my jail history against me. Isolation makes it easier to target me. Taking a comedian’s home won’t spark outrage, but evicting an orphan might.”
A joke he never told
Yadav had just finished his five-minute set at Indore’s Monroe Cafe on January 1, 2021 when a mob led by Eklavya Singh Gaur, son of BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaur and convener of the Hind Rakshak Sangathan, stormed the event, accusing Faruqui, who was about to perform, of mocking Hindu deities.
Indore police arrested Yadav and Faruqui – the only two comedians on stage – along with three others. The next day, they arrested Faruqui’s friend Sadaqat Khan, who was not named in the initial FIR.
The six men were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including 295-A, 298, 269, 188 and 34 for allegedly outraging religious sentiments and violating pandemic rules.
He met Faruqui the day he was arrested. “Six of us went to jail, but the others had jobs – it didn’t affect them much. Only Munawar and I were comedians. It happened because he was there. Someone established can recover from a downfall, but for someone earning barely Rs 10,000 to 20,000, hitting zero means starting from nothing. And that’s a struggle.”
Also read: If a Comedian Can Be Arrested for a Remark He Didn’t Make, Is the Joke on Us?
Struggle to rebuild
While Faruqui spent 37 days in jail, Yadav endured 57 – punished for standing by the art and artists he believed in.
Though he still attends court hearings, the Indore police has yet to file a chargesheet in the case.
Others might have returned to track, but Yadav lost almost everything to the incident. His time in jail turned his life upside down.
“I was the first to start stand-up comedy in Indore, organising open mics and performing with India’s top comedians. Before 2021, I was earning well – Rs 25,000 a month – and planned to open my own comedy club.
“Unfortunately, jail ruined everything. Venues shut me out, organisers left and when I tried to restart in Delhi and Mumbai, all I found was struggle. Since then, I’ve done odd jobs – worked as a labourer for Rs 200 a day and joined a digital marketing company, only to lose the job when they learned about my jail time.
“My brother had to drop out of college. Now, I’m stuck in Indore working in real estate just to survive. If that incident hadn’t happened, I’d have my own comedy room today,” Yadav said.
Yadav let out an ironic laugh at his fate. “Yaar, maine toh kuch bhi nahin kiya. Maine kabhi political comedy bhi nahin ki. [‘Man, I didn’t even do anything. I never even did political comedy’]. None of my videos had even gone viral before going to jail. I had planned to release videos in the next two years. Main toh khwabon ke raste par tha [‘I was just on my way to achieve my dreams’]. I have lost everything.”
Society viewed him as a hardened criminal when he returned – almost like a UAPA convict. His face had been all over television, media reports amplified the charges and he was branded “anti-Hindu” for his association with Faruqui.
Now, he walks the streets without being recognised by most, but those who continue their propaganda and harassment have shifted their focus – using his jail record to target his home. The battle continues.
Yadav says stand-up comedy in India has become a minefield. He attempted a comeback this year with a five-minute set, but one joke offended a few people, he said.
He cannot perform freely in Indore. If certain groups find out they show up in numbers.
“Indore has become a place where people hunt for outrage. Everyone clings to ‘symbols.’ Even saffron napkins can spark protests. Did the BJP send them [those who protested the napkins’ colour]? Maybe not, but the atmosphere emboldens them. When lynch mobs are celebrated with criminals walking free, people see power in such acts.”
This reporter reached out to the Sector 1 Pithampur police station for comment. Assistant sub-inspector Ajay Bhadoria denied having any recent information about the case involving the alleged attack on Yadav’s home last week.
