
Comedian Vineeth Srinivasan had the audience laughing at the Laughs Per Minute: Breathless Edition show in Mumbai on Friday night. He resurrected the problematic 'would you rather' joke that got Ranveer Allahbadia into trouble before, but this time with his own spin.
At the time of performance, Vineeth quipped, "Would you rather watch your parents breathe the 2.5 pm particulate or get the government to participate and solve it forever?" His joke was met with loud cheers and applause from the audience.
The programme, which was all about growing air pollution in Mumbai, had other stand-up comedians such as Daniel Fernandes, Aditi Mittal, Raunaq Rajani, Aadar Malik, and Supriya Joshi. Vineeth also talked about bad air quality in Mumbai, likening it to 'smoking 2.9 cigarettes a day' and making a joke that it would save smokers Rs 60 per day.
The controversy began when Ranveer Allahbadia, known as BeerBiceps, asked a contestant a question that wasn't originally his in an episode of India's Got Latent, hosted by Samay Raina. This sparked major backlash, leading to several FIRs against the panel, the cancellation of the show, and suspension of all upcoming episodes. The FIRs were filed over accusations of promoting obscenity and engaging in inappropriate discussions during the public YouTube show.
The controversy spread beyond entertainment, resulting in the cancellation of comedian Samay Raina's India tour. The issue became so significant that Maharashtra's Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, had to address it publicly.
Studies have linked long-term exposure to particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, with changes in brain structure, accelerated brain ageing and a higher risk of dementia.
Residents of flats worth crores say they are paying for clean air themselves, as societies put machines on rooftops and deploy water-sprinkling vehicles on roads.
India pays for toxic air every year, through lost wages, hospital bills and slower growth, writes Dr. Sabine Kapasi.
Pneumonia starts when an infection reaches the lungs and causes inflammation. The immune system responds to the infection, causing the air sacs to become inflamed and fill with fluid or pus. As the lungs become affected, oxygen exchange becomes harder.
Exposure to pollutants can harm your child's developing lungs and trigger symptoms such as cough, blocked nose, shortness of breath, and a scratchy throat.
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