Comedian Pulkit Mani's UP shows cancelled after mimicking PM Modi at Rahul Gandhi event

Comedian Pulkit Mani has cancelled three of his upcoming stand-up shows in Uttar Pradesh, in Noida, Lucknow and Kanpur, after facing what he described as "repeated threats from goon activists," following his mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "Chhatron ki Goonj" event in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on September 19.

Mani first announced the cancellation of his Noida show on Instagram, citing "unforeseen circumstances." "I regret to inform you that my Noida show has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding and support," he wrote in a Story that has since expired. In a follow-up post, he announced the cancellation of his Lucknow and Kanpur shows as well, writing, "Due to repeated threats from goon activists, my Lucknow and Kanpur shows are cancelled." It remains unclear whether Mani called off the shows himself or whether the venues cancelled them.

In a video shared by the Congress on X, Mani was seen performing a skit with Gandhi mimicking Modi's mannerisms, including his frequent use of the phrase "my friend," his style of greeting foreign leaders, and a coin trick associated with the Prime Minister. Mani walked onstage laughing and hugged Gandhi, saying, "My friend! How are you?" Gandhi replied, "I'm fine. How are you, Modi ji?" to which Mani responded, "Great harassment," continuing to repeat "my friend" while exaggerating Modi's gestures. Gandhi later told him, "Very nice to meet you," and asked him to "tell me more." During the act, Mani also said, "Maa ko kursi do, maa" ("Give mother a chair, mother"), a line BJP leaders said referenced Modi's past interaction with an elderly woman and, by extension, his late mother.

The performance drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders. Union Minister Piyush Goyal called Gandhi an "asanskari naraz fufa" (uncultured, disgruntled uncle) and accused the Congress of reducing political discourse to "cheap political theatre." Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress had "become a party of comedians and jokers," while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis suggested Gandhi could take up stand-up comedy as a profession. The Congress has defended the act as mimicry and stood by Gandhi's presence at the student-focused event.

This isn't Mani's first brush with controversy; the mid-tier digital comic has previously faced backlash for videos mocking religious figures and practices. Since the row broke out, he has been posting screenshots of hate messages he says he has received on social media. The cancellations add to a recurring pattern in India's comedy circuit, where shows by comedians such as Kunal Kamra and Munawar Faruqui have similarly been called off in the past following threats from political or religious groups.