Hyderabad: Comedian Pulkit Mani, who appeared in Rahul Gandhi‘s ‘Chhatron ki Goonj‘ programme in Indore, has announced that his Uttar Pradesh shows in Noida, Kanpur, and Lucknow have been cancelled following “threats from goon activists”.

In a statement on his Instagram story on Sunday, September 20, Mani wrote, “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.” In another statement, he said, “Due to repeated threats from goon activists, my Lucknow and Kanpur shows are cancelled.”

Mani also posted a short video clip after the statement, where a man says, “Aaj ke liye filhaal itna hi, aap ki tarah main bhi mayoos hoon lekin ummeed par duniya qayam hai. Dil dukha hai lekin, toota toh nahi hai aur ummeed ka daman chhoota toh nahi hai. (That is all for now; like you, I too am disappointed, but the world rests on hope. My heart is pained, yet it is not broken, and I have not let go of hope).”

PM Modi mimicry

The development apparently came as political backlash against the stand-up comedian intensified following his appearance at the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s, ‘Chhatron ki Goonj‘ event in Madhya Pradesh.

At the programme, Mani was seen mimicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a skit with Gandhi. He entered the stage laughing and hugged Gandhi, saying, “My friend! How are you?” Gandhi replied, “I’m fine. How are you, Modi ji?”

View this post on Instagram

The comment that particularly drew criticism was Mani’s “Maa ko kursi do, maa” (Give mother a chair, mother), in reference to Modi’s past event where he addressed an elderly woman in the crowd.

Mani, who is known online as Hunny, saw a spike in his popularity from short Instagram reels in which he mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mannerisms. In particular, a parody video poking fun at the Prime Minister’s energetic hugging style and interactions with visiting foreign leaders was widely shared and viewed.