AIB controversy: SoBo restaurant cans stand-up act
Arita Sarkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 5, 2015)

As the controversy rages over All India Bakchod's Bollywood Knockout roast, Aditi Mittal, who featured in the event, had her gig at a South Mumbai restaurant cancelled following protests by political parties.

Mittal was to host a show called Wednesday Wisecrackers at Cheval, in Kala Ghoda. According to one of the restaurant's valets, about eight men, claiming to be from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) marched up to the eatery at 3.30 pm on Wednesday and confronted the manager as he was leaving Cheval. Another group claiming to be from a right-wing group also landed up soon after. "They told him to cancel the show," said the staffer.

Aditi Mittal refused to comment on the issue. A restaurant spokesperson said Cheval had been warned by two separate parties to call off the show. "We tried to reason with them, but had to give in," he said. The spokesperson did not name either party. "She (Mittal) is an independent artist and we had booked her way before this controversy broke out," he said. "Besides, these are just jokes that don't hurt anyone."

I was looking forward to attending this event," said a disappointed fan who was to watch Wednesday Wisecrackers with his friends. "This is the first time that something new and exciting was happening in South Mumbai. Stand up acts are fun and can't possibly harm anyone. I am very disappointed that the show had to be cancelled."

A senior police officer at MRA Marg police station confirmed the incident, saying, "We came to know about the protest and went there only to maintain law and order. We did not take part in any moral policing."

The NCP, however, denied having sent their representatives to cancel the show. "Our party does not indulge in moral policing. We did not send anybody and people must have gone independently for publicity. I will look into the matter and instruct people to file a complaint with the administration if they have a problem but not engage in moral policing," said Nawab Mallik, party spokesperson.

The show was advertised on Cheval's Facebook page and the management suspects the protestors may have approached the restaurant after spotting the notification.