{{Short description|Indian stand-up comedian (born 1987)}} {{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox social media personality | image = Tanmay Bhat.png | caption = Bhat in an AIB video | birth_name = Tanmay Arun Bhat | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|06|23|df=y}} | birth_place = Bombay, Maharashtra, India | occupation = {{hlist|Writer|comedian|producer|YouTuber|scriptwriter}} | years_active = 2006–present | youtube_handle = tanmaybhat | youtube_display_name = Tanmay Bhat | youtube_genre = {{flatlist| * Comedy * vlog * podcast * gaming * reactions}} | youtube_subscribers = 5.33 million | youtube_views = 2.38 billion | stats_update = 14 April 2026 }}
'''Tanmay Arun Bhat''' (born 23 June 1990)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tanmay Bhat |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5417134/ |url-status=live |website=IMDb|access-date=2026-05-05}}</ref> is an Indian YouTuber, comedian, scriptwriter, actor, performer and producer. He is the co-founder and former CEO/CFO of the creative agency ''All India Bakchod'' (AIB) along with Gursimran Khamba.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/all-india-bakchod-meet-standups-newest-talents-tanmay-bhat-and-gursimran-khamba/243056-3.html | title=All India Bakchod: Meet stand-up's newest talents Tanmay Bhat and Gursimran Khamba | work=IBN Live | date=27 May 2012 | access-date=4 February 2015 | author=Chatterjee, Rituparna | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215054417/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/all-india-bakchod-meet-standups-newest-talents-tanmay-bhat-and-gursimran-khamba/243056-3.html | archive-date=15 February 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="StandupPlanet">{{cite web | url=http://www.standupplanet.org/2013/08/tanmay-bhat/ | title=Tanmay Bhat | publisher=Stand Up Planet | access-date=4 February 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204124019/http://www.standupplanet.org/2013/08/tanmay-bhat/ | archive-date=4 February 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2018, he was the judge on season 1 of ''Comicstaan'', a stand-up comedy competition broadcast on Amazon Prime.
In mid-2019 he started the YouTube channel "Tanmay Bhat", where he posts vlogs, comedy sketches, reaction videos and video essays and streams games such as ''PUBG Mobile'' and ''Among Us''. He has performed at many stand-up comedy shows and was also a part of 'Weirdass Comedy' founded by fellow comedian Vir Das.
==Early life== Tanmay Arun Bhat was born on 23 June 1987 in Bombay, to a Kannada Brahmin family, he did his schooling from Cosmopolitan Education Society and Sheth Chunilal Damodardas Barfiwala High School located in Andheri. He went on to pursue his higher education at the R. D. National College and Jai Hind College, where he completed his bachelor's degree in advertising.<ref>{{cite news |date=31 July 2023 |title=Meet Tanmay Bhat, The 'OP' of Desi YouTube Who Gave Us Memorable AIB Sketches |url=https://www.news18.com/viral/meet-tanmay-bhat-the-op-of-desi-youtube-who-gave-us-memorable-aib-sk-hes-8465017.html |access-date=24 December 2024 |work=News18 |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == === Film and television === Tanmay Bhat made his debut with UTV Bindass' flagship show, ''Hass Ley India''. He wrote for MTV India's ''Wassup'' and ''Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan''. He ventured into story, screenplay and dialogue writing for Disney India's daily comedies ''Kya Mast Hai Life'', ''The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir'' and NDTV Imagine's ''Oye! It's Friday!'' with Farhan Akhtar.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Wirally|first=Team |title=What AIB Dudes Were Doing Before AIB Was Formed – Wirally |url=https://wirally.com/what-aib-dudes-were-doing-before-aib-was-formed/|access-date=4 July 2020|website=Wirally|date=23 January 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref>
He was the writer and producer for ''India's More Talent'', a subsidiary comedy show spawning from ''Not True'', and has scripted TV award shows, including the Filmfare Awards, Star Parivaar Awards, Balaji Awards, Big TV Awards and Stardust Awards.<ref name=":0" />
He had a brief cameo appearance in ''Ragini MMS 2'' (2014)<ref name="thedailyeye">{{cite web | url=https://thedailyeye.info/post.php?id=6a7e80e2af0d0ace&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthedailyeye.info%2Fpost.php | title=True Review: Ragini MMS 2 | work=The Daily Eye | date=21 March 2014 | access-date=1 October 2020 | author=Puri, Niharika}}</ref> and appeared in ''Mr. X'' (2015).<ref name="sify">{{cite web | url=https://www.sify.com/movies/mr-x-review-bollywood-persubibigadc.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417205543/http://www.sify.com/movies/mr-x-review-bollywood-persubibigadc.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=17 April 2015 | title='Mr. X' Review: Steer clear of this 'Hollow Man' wannabe | work=sify.com | date=18 April 2015 | access-date=1 October 2020 | author=Chopra, Sonia}}</ref>
In 2024, he appeared as the guest judge for two episodes on the comedy show, ''India's Got Latent.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 18, 2024 |title=Contestant at India's Got Latent mocks Deepika Padukone's depression; netizens react as Samay Raina, Tanmay Bhat laugh |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/contestant-at-indias-got-latent-mocks-deepika-padukones-depression-netizens-react-as-samay-raina-tanmay-bhat-laugh-11731933488747.html |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=mint}}</ref>
===All India Bakchod=== {{Main|All India Bakchod }} All India Bakchod was co-founded as a YouTube channel in 2013 by Tanmay Bhat, Gursimran Khamba, Rohan Joshi and Ashish Shakya.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Bad Boys Of Indian YouTube |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanhatesthis/these-youtubers-are-fighting-criminal-charges-after-they-org |access-date=4 July 2020|website=BuzzFeed News|date=3 August 2015 |language=en}}</ref> They filmed sketches, performed stand-up comedy, and co-wrote shows as a comedy company. By early 2015, the comedy group had become a creative agency, making branded content for corporate clients.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AIB launches advertising wing 'Vigyapanti' {{!}} Advertising |url=https://www.campaignindia.in/article/aib-launches-advertising-wing-vigyapanti/423630|access-date=4 July 2020|website=Campaign India}}</ref> AIB's first foray into YouTube consisted of short spoofs and mimicry-based sketches. The song parodies continued to feature stereotypical situations and play on heavy nostalgia in their work. They popularized a satirical trope, "Honest Indian...", which they applied to various situations. Their podcast guests and work collaborators included various Bollywood celebrities, global and Indian comedians and filmmakers.
=== YouTube === Bhat returned to YouTube in November 2019, streaming PUBG: Battlegrounds.<ref name="firstpost.com">{{Cite web|date=10 March 2020|title=Tanmay Bhat on dealing with depression and his PewDiePie ambitions: Tech2 Innovate |url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/gaming/tanmay-bhat-on-dealing-with-depression-and-his-pewdiepie-ambitions-tech2-innovate-8136191.html |access-date=4 July 2020 |website=Tech2}}</ref> He also launched a second channel, Honestly by Tanmay Bhat, where he hosts 'learning streams' and videos featuring experts in various topics.<ref name="firstpost.com" />
Bhat teamed up with YouTuber Saiman Says in January 2020 and brought in several comedians, including Sorabh Pant, CarryMinati, Kaneez Surka and Zakir Khan, for the "TreeMathon 2020" live stream. The stream was an 8-hour live session with people playing the game Getting Over It to support Mission Green Mumbai and raise funds to plant as many trees as possible in response to the deforestation drive at Aarey Milk Colony.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bajaj|first=Abhisek|date=27 January 2020|title=Tanmay Bhatt & co. Raise over 5,000 USD with 8-hour fundraising stream |url=https://www.talkesport.com/news/tanmay-bhatt-co-raise-over-5000-usd-with-8-hour-fundraising-stream/|access-date=4 July 2020|website=TalkEsport|language=en-US}}</ref>
In early April 2020, Bhat and Kaneez Surka hosted an 8-hour live stream for two days, raising over Rs 1.7 million for charities fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Bhat moderated multiplayer online games with fellow comedians Rohan Joshi, Kaneez Surka, Bhuvan Bam, Anuvab Pal, Varun Grover and Kusha Kapila.<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Mumbai Mirror|date=16 Apr 2020 |title=Tanmay Bhat takes a unique route to raise funds for COVID-19 relief work |url=https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/columns/the-informer/tanmay-bhat-takes-a-unique-route-to-raise-funds-for-covid-19-relief-work/articleshow/75172787.cms |access-date=4 July 2020|website=Ahmedabad Mirror|language=en}}</ref>
In 2020, Netflix India started a series with Bhat reacting to various movies & TV shows on Netflix, called "Tanmay Reacts".<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix India Releases Death Note Reaction Video Featuring Comedian Tanmay Bhat |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-25/netflix-india-releases-death-note-reaction-video-featuring-comedian-tanmay-bhat/.159862 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=9 August 2024 |language=en |date=25 May 2020}}</ref> Tanmay also reacts on the memes and videos on his own channel, majorly with his "OG gang" - a group of four people with their own codenames - Aditya Kulshrestha (Writer OP), Nishant Tanwar (Rider OP), Rohan Joshi (Prisoner OP), Zakir Khan (Shayar OP), Vishal Dayama (Shauhar OP) and Piyush Sharma (Banker OP). He has had multiple guests on the series, including Vicky Kaushal, R. Madhavan, Kunal Kamra and Hanumankind.
===Advertising=== In 2016, Bhat appeared in an advertisement for Netflix, in which he impersonates Pablo Escobar. The 2-minute advertisement talks about Netflix addiction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tanmay Bhat as Pablo Escobar? Watch this Netflix ad for your dose of LOL for the day |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/tanmay-bhat-as-pablo-escobar-watch-this-netflix-ad-for-your-dose-of-lol-for-the-day-3015518.html |website=Firstpost |access-date=9 August 2024 |language=en-us |date=22 September 2016}}</ref>
In 2020–2021, he co-wrote the scripts of several advertisements for the financial services company Cred, which featured actors and other celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Bappi Lahiri, Ravi Shastri, Anil Kapoor, Rahul Dravid, Kapil Dev and Neeraj Chopra.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rahul Dravid Struggling to Act Angry in Behind-the-Scenes of Viral Commercial is Too Pure|url=https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/rahul-dravid-struggling-to-get-angry-in-cred-behind-the-scenes-of-viral-commercial-is-too-pure-3676283.html |access-date=2021-09-28 |website=News18 |date=25 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bureau|first=ABP News|title=CRED Ad Director Says Neeraj Chopra 'Just Wanted To Have Fun' & 'Was Game About It' : Report |url=https://news.abplive.com/sports/cred-ad-director-says-neeraj-chopra-just-wanted-to-have-fun-was-game-about-it-report-1483333 |access-date=2021-09-28|website=ABP Live|date=20 September 2021|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bhatt |first=Shephali|title=Who made Bappi Da sing love ballads for credit cards?|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/internet/who-made-bappi-da-sing-love-ballads-for-credit-cards/articleshow/78400017.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2021-09-28}}</ref>
== Controversies == In May 2016, Bhat uploaded a Snapchat video mimicking Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar, arguing about who was a better player. The video generated heated controversy over their portrayal, which some deemed offensive and appalling, while others found it hilarious and witty.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tanmay Bhat Roasted Over 'Sachin vs Lata' Video, Police Explore Ban |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/aibs-tanmay-bhat-roasted-over-sachin-vs-lata-mangeshkar-video-1413367 |access-date=4 July 2020|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> Following this, an FIR was registered by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena against him and Mumbai police wrote to Google and YouTube requesting the video be deleted.<ref name="abc">{{cite news |last1=Krishnan |first1=Revathi |title=No laughing matter — all the comedians who got into trouble for trying to be funny |url=https://theprint.in/india/no-laughing-matter-all-the-comedians-who-got-into-trouble-for-trying-to-be-funny/580663/ |work=ThePrint |date=7 January 2021}}</ref>
In 2017, the comedian was booked and an FIR was filed against him for posting a meme of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Snapchat.<ref name="abc"/>
=== Me Too controversy === {{main|Me Too movement (India)#Utsav Chakraborty And All India Bakchod (AIB)}}
In October 2018, writer and comedian Mahima Kukreja accused the YouTuber Utsav Chakraborty, who worked as a freelancer with All India Bakchod, of sending her and other women lewd messages and photos via social messaging apps. At the time, Bhat was the CEO of AIB.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/mahima-kukreja-responds-to-utsav-chakraborty-s-allegations-calls-it-sick-fantasy-of-revenge/story-AQ6SDTZhb3mkkvuvlNREeL.html |title=Mahima Kukreja responds to Utsav Chakraborty's allegations, calls it 'sick fantasy of revenge' |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=26 November 2019 |language=en |access-date=13 June 2020}}</ref> Several comedians within Chakraborty's circle, including Tanmay Bhat, knew about the allegations of harassment but opted to keep quiet and work with him.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/aib-accepts-tanmay-bhat-knew-of-sexual-harassment-claims-against-utsav-chakraborty-and-continued-working-with-him/story-AAU6307XSlqCeqZtgfj4nN.html |title=AIB accepts Tanmay Bhat knew of sexual harassment claims against Utsav Chakraborty and continued working with him|date=5 October 2018|access-date=7 October 2018|language=en |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref> On 8 October 2018, AIB announced that Bhat would immediately "be stepping away from his association with AIB" for the time being.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/me-too-founders-tanmay-bhat-gursimran-khamba-out-aib-until-further-notice-89629 |title=Me Too: Founders Tanmay Bhat, Gursimran Khamba out of AIB 'until further notice'|date=8 October 2018|work=The News Minute}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/comedian-tanmay-bhat-to-step-away-from-association-with-aib-says-comedy-group-amid-metoo-allegations-1928627 |title=Comedian Tanmay Bhat To "Step Away" From AIB Amid #MeToo Allegations|work=NDTV.com|access-date=8 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008131348/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/comedian-tanmay-bhat-to-step-away-from-association-with-aib-says-comedy-group-amid-metoo-allegations-1928627 |archive-date=8 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://qz.com/india/1416948/metoo-india-aibs-tanmay-bhat-hindustan-times-journalist-quit/ |title=India's #MeToo wave is already forcing powerful men out of their jobs|work=NDTV.com|access-date=8 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008171208/https://qz.com/india/1416948/metoo-india-aibs-tanmay-bhat-hindustan-times-journalist-quit/ |archive-date=8 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Amazon Video removed Bhat from the panel of judges for the second season of ''Comicstaan'' due to the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gadgets.ndtv.com/entertainment/news/amazon-drops-tanmay-bhat-keeps-kanan-gill-for-comicstaan-season-2-over-metoo-concerns-1947471 |title=Amazon Drops Tanmay Bhat, Keeps Kanan Gill for Comicstaan Season 2|website=NDTV Gadgets 360|date=14 November 2018 |language=en|access-date=13 February 2020}}</ref>
In May 2019, AIB announced that Bhat was no longer suspended but removed from the CEO post.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/metoo-row-aib-posts-7-months-gursimran-khamba-to-not-be-a-part-of-company-tanmay-bhat-demoted/articleshow/69458852.cms | title=#MeToo row: AIB posts after 7 months; Gursimran Khamba to not be a part of the company, Tanmay Bhat demoted | publisher=Press Trust of India | work=The Economic Times | date=23 May 2019 | access-date=13 June 2020}}</ref> A few weeks later, Bhat stated in videos posted to Instagram that he suffered from clinical depression, drawing criticism from Mahima Kukreja and fellow comedian Aditi Mittal, both of whom accused Bhat of using depression as a good and characterised his claims as insincere.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/aditi-mittal-mahima-kukreja-slam-tanmay-bhat-for-clinical-depression-post-call-his-claims-insincere/articleshow/70036752.cms | title=Aditi Mittal, Mahima Kukreja slam Tanmay Bhat for 'clinical depression' post, call his claims insincere | publisher=Press Trust of India | work=The Economic Times | date=2 July 2019 | access-date=13 June 2020}}</ref>
== Filmography == {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ |- ! Year !! Title !! Platform/Channel !! Notes |- |2007–2008 |''Champion Chaalbaaz No.1'' |Sony Entertainment Television |Contestant |- |2009-2010 |''Kya Mast Hai Life'' |Disney India |Writer |- |2012–2018 |Various AIB Videos |YouTube |Various Characters |- |2012-2013 |''The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir'' |Disney India |Writer |- |2014 |''Ragini MMS 2'' |ALTBalaji |Cameo |- |2015–2018 |''On Air With AIB'' |Hotstar |Himself |- |2015 |''Mr. X'' |Amazon Prime Video |Actor; Also producer |- | rowspan="5" | 2015–2020 || rowspan="5" |''Son Of Abish''|| rowspan="5" |YouTube | Season 1 with Gursimran Khamba |- | Season 2 with Vishal Dadlani |- | Season 4 with Bhuvan Bam |- |Season 7 with Kanan Gill |- | Season 8 with Ahsaas Channa |- |2018 |''Comicstaan'' |Amazon Prime Video |Himself as judge |- |2020 |''Chintu Ka Birthday'' |ZEE5 |Co-producer |- | rowspan="2" |2021 |''Dhindora'' |YouTube |Guest appearance in the title track music video |- |''Comedy Premium League'' |Netflix |Contestant |- |2022 |''Koffee with Karan 7'' |Disney Plus Hotstar |Himself<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaur |first=Gurpreet |date=2022-09-30 |title=‘Koffee With Karan 7’ Finale Ft. Tanmay Bhat, Kusha Kapila, Niharika NM, Danish Sait: 5 Revelations By Karan Johar |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/-koffee-with-karan-7-finale-ft-tanmay-bhat-kusha-kapila-niharika-nm-danish-sait-5-revelations-by-karan-johar-news-227040 |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=Outlook India |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |2024 |''Koffee with Karan 8'' |Disney Plus Hotstar |Himself<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-01-18 |title='Koffee With Karan 8' finale: Kusha Kapila playfully teases K Jo; says, 'Didn't mention Alia Bhatt 450 times per episode' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/koffee-with-karan-8-finale-kusha-kapila-playfully-teases-k-jo-says-didnt-mention-alia-bhatt-450-times-per-episode/articleshow/106958141.cms |access-date=2026-02-21 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> |- |''India's Got Latent'' |YouTube |Guest judge for 2 episodes |- |2025 |''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' |Himself |As a contestant with Samay Raina<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-30 |title=Samay Raina jokes about Sooryavansham, sneaking into Amitabh Bachchan's bungalow Jalsa on Kaun Banega Crorepati. Watch |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tv/samay-raina-tanmay-bhat-bhuvan-bam-guests-on-amitabh-bachchan-kaun-banega-crorepati-16-watch-101738200802210.html |access-date=2026-02-22 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> |}
==See also== * List of YouTubers * List of Indian comedians
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name}} *{{YouTube|channel=UC0rE2qq81of4fojo-KhO5rg}}
{{Subject bar |commons = yes |commons-search = |d = yes |d-search = |portal1 = Biography |portal2 = Internet }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhat, Tanmay}} Category:Indian stand-up comedians Category:Living people Category:1987 births Category:Artists from Mumbai Category:Indian male screenwriters Category:Indian comedy YouTubers Category:Indian gaming YouTubers Category:YouTube vloggers Category:YouTube streamers Category:Indian producers Category:Indian male comedians Category:21st-century Indian screenwriters Category:YouTube channels launched in 2006 Category:Hindi-language YouTube channels Category:Jai Hind College alumni Category:Comedians from Mumbai