Ranveer Allahbadia's followers down by 1.4 lakh, his remarks could cost him brand deals too amid row

An uproar, an FIR and an apology, that's how the Ranveer Allahbadia controversy transpired in the last few days after a clip of his lewd comments on a YouTube show called India's Got Latent went viral.

His remarks will cost him subscribers, brand deals and a tarnished image, said marketers.

Allahbadia's overall social media subscriber/follower decline in two days is around 142,000, according to an analysis by Qoruz, an influencer marketing intelligence platform.

His Instagram account @ranveerallahbadia saw a decline of 29,000 followers in two days.

His second Instagram account called @beerbiceps saw a drop of 43,000 followers since Monday.

His YouTube channel Beer Biceps lost around 50,000 subscribers since Monday (February 10) while his another YouTube channel called Ranveer Allahabadia lost 20,000 subscribers.

On Instagram, he has lost 72,000 followers while on YouTube he has lost a total of 70,000 subscribers.

Hashtags like #boycott_ranveerallahbadia and #unfollow_ranveer_allahbadia trended on social media, with users urging each other to unfollow the popular YouTuber.

While one social media user commented that “he just fakes his personality in podcasts as a spiritual person for views. Unfollow such vulgar people”, other said “I will unfollow you. You and your mindset don’t deserve great podcasts like ISRO Chief or our foreign minister. Hope no one gives you a podcast from now onwards.”

Singer B Praak on February 10 said that he has cancelled his appearance on Allahbadia's podcast, BeerBiceps “because of the kind of pathetic thinking, and the kind of words used on Samay Raina's show (India’s Got Latent) and that this is not our Indian culture,” he said.

Hesitant brands

The controversy’s impact will spill on to brand deals as well, said marketers.

“Given the backlash and public outcry, especially from eminent journalists and authors like Neelesh Misra, brands might reconsider their partnerships with him. While his following is large, the nature of this controversy could prompt a reassessment of his suitability for family-friendly or socially responsible brand collaborations, noted Neha Arora, CEO (chief executive officer) and Co-Founder, Value4Brand, a digital marketing company.

He has worked with brands like Spotify, Mountain Dew, Amazon Prime Video, Intel, Wow Skin Science, among others.

Ranveer Allahbadia could potentially lose some of his brands’ deals due to the recent controversy as brands are highly sensitive about the image of the influencers they partner with, Arora added.

“Recent controversial statements, which have spread like fire, can damage the brand’s reputation, especially when associated with someone who has a large, impressionable audience. Companies today are more focused on brand building and online reputation management and thus collaborate with the ones who maintain a positive and professional image and not with the ones who end up getting roped in controversies like these,” she said.

An FIR-backed controversy could make brands hesitant, pointed out Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions.

“While his strong personal brand and loyal audience may mitigate some damage, companies—especially those with strict brand safety policies—might pause or reconsider collaborations.”

Allahbadia seems to be in deeper trouble as Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed on Monday evening that the Guwahati Police have registered an FIR (first information report) against popular YouTubers, including Beerbicep's Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani, among other social media influencers for allegedly promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit discussions.

Even Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned Allahbadia, for his comments on the show saying that the society has made some rules, and any violation of these rules is wrong and should be met with appropriate action.

Ranveer Allahbadia controversy is a textbook case of why creators need to balance authenticity with accountability, said Mohit Ghate, Co-founder at Wit & Chai, a creative marketing agency. While creative freedom fuels engagement, unchecked opinions can set fire to hard-earned brand trust,” he added.
In chasing clout, sometimes influencers get carried away in the moment and forget that brands aren’t just buying reach; they’re investing in reputation and trust, Ghate said. In an era where public sentiment shifts faster than an Instagram reel, influencers must treat their words like a Super Bowl ad—every syllable scrutinized, every impact measured, he added.

Lesson learnt

Hamidani said that a strong apology from Allahbadia can mitigate the impact.

Amid the growing criticism, Allahbadia issued a public apology, acknowledging that his comment was "not appropriate" and "not even funny."

This incident will serve as a lesson for influencers to balance authenticity with responsibility when using their platform, Arora said.

Some influencers are pushing the boundaries of freedom of speech and exploiting social media for personal gain, often prioritizing sensationalism over responsibility, Hamidani said.

The lack of strict regulations allows influencers to operate with minimal accountability, influencing public opinion without verified facts, he added.

On social media, many users have called for action from the Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw against Allahbadia and others on the show.

For some influencers outrage is engagement, and some creators thrive on that by milking the system, knowing outrage fuels the algorithm, Ghate said.

“The takeaway from this incident is that the mic is always on, the internet never forgets and cancel culture doesn’t issue warnings. Relevance isn’t just about being loud; it’s about being wise and in the long game of influence, it’s not just about being heard—it’s about being remembered for the right thing. Remember, today’s viral moment could be tomorrow’s cancelled contract,” he said.