3 min readHyderabadUpdated: Apr 15, 2026 05:39 PM IST
The stand-up comedian who made jokes about Pawan Kalyan’s divorces, used a derogatory term while talking about Ram Charan, and brought Niharika Konidela’s failed marriage into a comedy set has been detained. Andhra Pradesh Police picked up Anudeep Katikala, three days after an FIR was filed against him at the Kakinada I Town police station on a complaint by Jana Sena Party functionary Bade Venkata Krishna.
Who is Anudeep Katikala?
Anudeep Katikala is a Hyderabad-based comedian, also the founder of the Silly South Comedy Club, a collective of Telugu stand-up comedians, and has been performing regularly across Hyderabad and Bengaluru. He also produced a special called The Tollywood Roast Show, with his own brief about it reading: “We’re going all out on Tollywood and we promise to spare none.”
What did he say about Konidela family?
The video that triggered all of this was framed, at least by Anudeep, as a conversation about feminism and the stigma around divorce. He started with Ram Charan. Using a Telugu expletive that loosely refers to a man who lives off his wife’s wealth, he built a joke around Ram Charan’s financial standing compared to his wife Upasana Kamineni, who is the granddaughter of Prathap C Reddy, the founder of Apollo Hospitals.
He also took digs at Pawan Kalyan and Niharika Konidela’s divorces.
He reportedly paused mid-set to acknowledge that divorce is not something to laugh at and that people have their own reasons for it. That part, however, did not make it into the clips that spread across social media.
The backlash
Mega fans gathered outside the Street Comedy Club in Hyderabad and protested, searching inside for Anudeep. Realising the situation, he switched off his phone and left the premises. On social media, particularly on X, fans demanded strict legal action. Jana Sena leader Sandeep Panchakarla issued a public warning asking Anudeep to release a video apology, calling his comedy low-level and offensive.
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A separate complaint was also filed by Jana Sena State Secretary Akepati Subhashini with the Tirupati District Superintendent of Police.
After fans demanded an apology, Anudeep posted a video on social media saying he was sorry if his words had hurt anyone, that his aim was to normalise topics like feminism and divorce through humour, and that audiences should try to understand the intention behind comedy.
Anudeep detained
Indian Express reported that police in Kakinada district said they detained him after a complaint was received from a Jana Sena Party leader. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered at Kakinada One Town police station, and investigation has begun. He was picked up from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, while he was out for a walk with his father.
