AIB Roast: Censor Board member Ashoke Pandit faces heat for tasteless tweet

The AIB controversy has taken an ugly turn as censor board member Ashoke Pandit took to Twitter on the issue of the complaints against the AIB Roast on Tuesday.

The filmmaker had used the micro-site to support Maharashtra government's decision to conduct an inquiry into the show. In let out a series tweets in favour of it and questioned whether AIB had followed necessary procedures and sought approvals from police for the format of their show. 

One of his tweets targeting Karan Johar got too personal and insensitive and received a lot of flak from fellow Twitter users. 

Karan Johar could have easily shown his position while performing sex to his mom at home instead of making it public.#AIB Porn Show.

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 3, 2015

He also called AIB knockout a porn show.

I support #MaharashtraGovts inquiry into #AIB a porn show on stage.

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 3, 2015

Pandit demanded to know whether a stage play was approved by the authorities which approve plays?

Was the script of #AIB which was a stage play approved by the Authorites which approve plays.?

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 3, 2015

He also questioned whether the police had given permission despite knowing what B in AIB stands for.

Did the police give permission to #AIB even after they knew what B stands for?#Bakchod.

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 3, 2015

Many Twitter users were aghast by the language used by the newly appointed Censer Board member

Some felt the nation was turning into a Talibani rule.

@Inquisitive_Ind @ashokepandit No wonder India's slowly turning into 1 of those fundamentalist intolerant Talibani countries.. such a-holery

— Sharmishtha Pal (@sharmishthapal) February 3, 2015

Some were disappointed in the language used by the well known filmmaker.

. Mr @ashokepandit, I had highest regards for you, especially on your work on KP but sir, I'm really disappointed with your tone of tweets

— Kunāl Majumder (@kunalmajumder) February 3, 2015

Others were saddened by the choice of words by Pandit.

@ashokepandit Ashoke, did not expect this from you. Deeply saddened.

— Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) February 3, 2015

People were quick to point out Pandit's hypocrisy.

@ashokepandit Are you for real? This very statement displays your "Culture" and "Morals" to the extent of your belief system.

— WeStandByAIBKnockout (@VGLICIOUS_) February 3, 2015

Many simply lambasted him; actress Mona Ambegaonkar called him 'sick'.

@ashokepandit you should get serious treatment. You are very sick.

— Mona Ambegaonkar (@MonaAmbegaonkar) February 3, 2015

Pandit however stood by his tweet and his critique of AIB Knockout. 

In a quote to a news channel, he said, "I stand by my tweet. If you depict masturbation on stage it is porn. Will you see this with your parents and family? It's a shame to call it charity. Karan Johar, Arjun, Ranveer are icons. Don't teach me what is humour - I am the king of comedy. I have done many comedy shows. I am the king of comedy."

Maharashtra government on Monday ordered an inquiry into a comedy show held here even as police launched a probe following a complaint against filmmaker Karan Johar, actor Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, among others, for allegedly using "filthy and abusive language" during the event.

But on the other hand, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde has tweeted that no moral policing will be done in this matter. 

Must Read: AIB Roast – 5 reasons why it irked conservatives

Mumbai Police also initiated an inquiry following a complaint against Johar, Kapoor and Singh, which alleged that the trio, along with other comedians, had used abusive language during the AIB Knockout, a comedy show, held in December last year at Worli in the city.

According to the written complaint by Akhilesh Tiwari, president of Brahman Ekta Seva Sanstha in Mumbai, filed at Sakinaka police station on Monday, the trio, along with other performers, had allegedly passed abusive and offensive remarks against one another and at the audience present there, police said.

The roast called AIB knockout was the roast Gundey duo Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor with filmmaker Karan Johar as the roastmaster. It was produced by Only Much Louder. The show was attended by 4000 guests and the video of the same uploaded by AIB channel and which went viral.