Sakshi Jha Faces Backlash, Job Suspension After Standup Routine

A 22-year-old teacher and aspiring comedian, Sakshi Jha, faced severe public backlash and a reported job suspension in Chennai last week after declaring herself a "man-hater" during an appearance on the competitive standup comedy show India's Got Latent.

Jha, a young woman from Bihar who was the only female contestant on the episode, delivered a brief comedy set and engaged in banter with the host and judges. Her routine featured jokes about destroying male egos, alongside remarks about treating a future husband as a slave and beating him up. Early in her set, Jha brought up the phrase "generational trauma" and referenced patriarchal cultural experiences, including statements about her grandfather telling women to stay in the kitchen.

The routine generated visible discomfort among the show's five-member male judging panel. During her performance, host Samay Raina seized on a moment after Jha used the word "mens" to defuse the tension by encouraging support for girl child education through the Teach For India organization. Throughout the segment, judges castigated Jha for her material, claiming her performance did a disservice to feminism.

Jha, who appeared nervous during the set, received a unanimous score of 0 from both the judges and the audience members present. In addition to her comments about men, Jha also displayed cheekiness regarding colourism during her appearance on the show. Following the broadcast, she experienced widespread public criticism, which culminated in a reported suspension from her teaching job.