After KTR's open invite, Munawar Faruqui announces show in Hyderabad

Days after Telangana's Industry and Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao extended an open invitation, stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui announced that he will be performing in Hyderabad on January 9.

Faruqui took to social media to announce his show titled 'Dhandho'. However, the venue of the show is yet to be announced.

The stand-up comedian had earlier tweeted that he was receiving several calls and mails from Hyderabad to perform in the city.

Last week, K.T. Rama Rao, who is also the son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had extended an open invitation to comedians to perform in Hyderabad saying the city is truly cosmopolitan.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, took a jibe at the BJP government in Karnataka, after stand-up comedians Munawar Faruqui and Kunal Kamra's shows were cancelled in Bengaluru over threats from some right-wing groups.

"In our city, stand-up comedians get an open invite. We don't cancel shows of Munawar Faruqui and Kunal Kamra just because we are not aligned with them politically," KTR had said at an event on Friday.

"You claim to be a cosmopolitan city, and then you end up taking comedy very seriously. I don't understand that at all."

"We (Hyderabad) are a truly cosmopolitan city who are welcoming of all cultures, welcoming of criticism. You can come here, criticise the government. In fact, we receive a lot of brickbats from our opposition every day but we are very tolerant," KTR had said.

Late last month, Munawar Faruqui's show 'Dongri to Nowhere' was cancelled in Bengaluru, with the city police citing law and order and calling Faruqui a "controversial figure".

Earlier, his shows were cancelled in Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Raipur.

The stand-up comedian was arrested earlier this year on charges of allegedly insulting Hindu gods and goddesses, and spent a month in Indore jail.

After his show was cancelled in Bengaluru, Munawar Faruqui tweeted that hate has won, artist has lost. "I'm done, goodbye. Injustice," he had posted, indicating that he is giving up comedy. He, however, apparently changed his mind later.

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra's show was also cancelled in Bengaluru, a few days after Munawar Faruqui was not allowed to perform. Kamra tweeted that his event was cancelled over threats to shut down the venue.