One remark on India's Got Latent made brands pull their influencer deals

In February 2025, YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia made a crude remark on the comedy show India's Got Latent. The clip went viral and police registered FIRs against him and other creators on the episode. The backlash hit the business he stood at the centre of: India's influencer marketing market, which had tripled to over 40 lakh creators by 2024.

The retreat was broad and immediate. Vlogger Shenaz Treasury said she was dropped from a brand deal — the brand told her it could not afford to work with celebrities or influencers after what happened with Allahbadia. Comedian Samay Raina lost an energy-drink collaboration he was on the verge of signing. Apoorva Mukhija was removed from the official ambassador list of the IIFA awards. Standup comics became uninsurable: agencies stopped suggesting them to brands at all.

The price showed up in rates. An advertising executive told Moneycontrol that fees fell by over 50% in some cases, with some influencers not even being considered. A macro influencer charging about Rs 2.5 lakh per post saw his rate drop 5-7%. Agencies answered with process: legal consultants, content-approval gates, and contracts with clauses for immediate remedies if things went south. The Indian Influencer Governing Council was launched to write rules for a market that had none.