Who Is Madhur Virli? Stand-Up Comedian Apologises For 'Cuddle After Rape' Joke Following Backlash

Madhur Virli, a stand-up comedian from Delhi, publicly apologised on YouTube on June 14 after a video from one of his previous shows started going viral on social media. His statement came days after strong public criticism and demands for legal action against the stand-up comedian. But before we move to his apology, let's know a little about Madhur Virli.

Who Is Madhur Virli?

Madhur Virli is a YouTuber and comedian from Delhi who is well-known for his dark humour. He graduated from IIT Delhi with a degree in engineering and decided to devote all of his time to comedy. In 2018, he won the stand-up competition at the InterIIT Cultural Meet.

Stand-up routines, vlogs, and his well-liked Madhur Model were all included on Madhur Virli's YouTube account. He released his 70-minute special, The IIT Dream, on June 24. The show has 9.9 million views.

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Madhur Virli Apologises For 'Cuddle After Rape' Joke

Madhur Virli officially addressed the topic in a new post on his YouTube channel.

"This is to apologise for a video of mine that is currently being shared online. The clip being circulated is from a performance I did around two years ago. Soon after performing that bit, I understood how wrong it was and took it down at that time, long before the clip started circulating again recently."

Madhur Virli admitted that although comedy may address challenging matters, some topics call for tact, context, and careful consideration. When an attempt at that fails, he said, the proper course of action is to own up to it, offer an apology, and try again.

"I do believe comedy can question ideas and engage with difficult subjects. But certain topics require sensitivity, context and informed discretion. When an attempt falls short, the only honest thing to do is acknowledge it, apologise and do better. This is one of those moments for me."

Madhur Virli shares an official statement on his YouTube channel.

Madhur Virli revealed that he deactivated his Instagram account six months ago. He also said in his written statement that the video that is making the rounds is from a performance he gave about two years ago. He claimed that shortly after showcasing it, he realised the content was incorrect and removed it, long before the video circulated again in June 2026.

Many came to the stand-up comedian's defence in the comment section. A user (@TamannaKaushik-b1k) wrote, "The fact that he already understood that the Joke wasn't appropriate at all by himself and removed the video and now it's being circulated again just coz a comedian highly indulged in inappropriate shit some guy said ...also i think people should see his recent comedy he has evolved as a comedian and as a human being soo i don't think the hate and negativity is that justified in this case (sic)."

Another user (@Hiteshreexe) wrote, "It's so sad seeing you apologise for a mistake you had already taken responsibility for, privated video a long ago, accepted your mistake, tabhi bhi drag karna hai inn clout chasers ko? Idk, if I'm taking it too seriously ya kya, but this is soo ANNOYING to see him apologise once again! (sic)."

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What Did Mahur Virli Say?

For those who don't know, in the video, Madhur Virli made remarks about rape cases. He discussed what would happen if, out of ten rape cases, one involved murder following the rape. He continued by speculating about the thoughts that the murderer must have had before considering killing the victim.

Madhur Virli elaborated on his stance by saying that a woman may beg a man to 'cuddle' after he has sexually assaulted her, which could lead him to stab her with a knife. He said, "Now cuddle with knife," and the audience erupted in laughter. He added, "Rape victims say that we would have preferred death over this. But kabhi bhi kisi laash ne nahin bola ki rape he ho jata."

He may have tried edgy or dark humour, but they weren't jokes at all. They were simply cruel and insensitive remarks that completely crossed the line.