A joke made by Ranveer Allahbadia, a Joe Rogan for online Indians, has brought him death threats and criminal charges.

The Indian internet is a boisterous place, not always for the faint of heart. But sometimes India itself turns fainthearted in the face of the internet. Or livid, when family values are at stake.

Until a couple of weeks ago, Ranveer Allahbadia, 31, was riding high as a podcaster, influencer and all-around successful hyper-bro — a Joe Rogan for online Indians, especially young men. His handle, BeerBiceps, presented him to his eight million followers as a lighthearted, overgrown boy’s boy.

He interviewed celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Priyanka Chopra, as well as government ministers who build highways and plot foreign relations. He signed deals with brands like Sony, Skechers and Spotify. Last April, he shared a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi while being named “Disrupter of the Year” at India’s first National

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