India¡¯s Got Latent controversy tanks influencer brand deals, is this the beginning of the end?

The Ranveer Allahbadia controversy is proving to be a nightmare for India¡¯s influencer economy. While the Supreme Court has granted him relief, allowing The Ranveer Show to be back in action, the aftershocks of his viral roast-show moment are shaking up influencer brand deals like never before. Brands are hitting pause, slashing endorsement budgets, and, in some cases, ghosting influencers altogether.

Influencers feeling the heat

Brand deals are supposed to be the bread and butter of influencers, but after Allahbadia¡¯s eyebrow-raising comment on India¡¯s Got Latent, that revenue stream is looking more like a trickle. According to Sumon K Chakrabarti, CEO of Buffalo Soldiers, the impact is real¡ªinfluencer rates have taken a 50% nosedive, with many simply being left out of the conversation.

Ranveer Allahbadia¡¯s India¡¯s Got Latent controversy

Even lifestyle and travel influencer Shivaditya Barjatya has noticed a dip. A macro influencer who would typically charge around Rs 2.5 lakh per post is now seeing a 5-7% cut. ¡°Brands are way more cautious now. The very numbers that made influencers attractive to them are now making them wary,¡± he reportedly said.

The situation has gotten so dicey that renegotiation isn¡¯t even on the table anymore. If brands don¡¯t want to work with you, what is there to negotiate? Standup comic Samay Raina, who hosted India¡¯s Got Latent, has already lost a major energy drink deal¡ªanother casualty of this influencer meltdown.

How did we get here?

For those who missed the chaos, here¡¯s a quick recap: Allahbadia landed himself in hot water last month when he threw out an incredibly inappropriate question during his guest appearance on India¡¯s Got Latent. The clip, featuring an unsettling ¡°Would you rather¡± dilemma involving parents, sex, and an unthinkable choice, spread like wildfire across social media, sparking instant outrage.

The backlash was brutal¡ªmultiple FIRs were filed, and police complaints flooded in. Social media exploded, slamming the so-called ¡°roast comedy¡± for its tasteless and vulgar content. Even the Supreme Court wasn¡¯t amused, warning that obscenity under the guise of comedy wouldn¡¯t be tolerated.

Supreme Court¡¯s verdict: A second chance With conditions

On March 3, the Supreme Court finally weighed in. While Allahbadia has been allowed to continue The Ranveer Show, there¡¯s a catch¡ªhe has to submit an undertaking ensuring his content remains within ¡°standards of decency and morality.¡± Translation? No more edgy, boundary-pushing, outrage-inducing content.

The bigger question, however, is whether brands will ever trust influencers the same way again. With this fiasco shaking up the industry, influencers will likely be walking on eggshells for a long time to come.