Humorist faces scrutiny by law enforcement due to a humorous remark targeting a political figure.
A flamboyant Indian comedian refuses to back down following a vicious attack on a comedy club where he cracked a joke about a right-wing politician.
Kunal Kamra, renowned for his sharp wit and political humor, is under investigation for alleged slander by authorities in Maharashtra after he made a joke about the state's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This drama addictively underscores India's deteriorating liberties and the oversensitivity of some right-wing politicians, some of whom have demanded Kamra's arrest.
A video on Kamra's YouTube channel reveals the comedian allegedly taking a shot at Shinde while singing a song. Although Kamra does not explicitly name the politician, he facetiously calls him a "gaddar," meaning "traitor," which fans interpret as targeting Shinde's role in a 2022 rebellion that dismantled the state's previous government.
The joke ignited a rage within Shinde's Hindu supremacist and right-wing Shiv Sena political party. A barbaric mob later raided The Habitat comedy venue in Mumbai, where Kamra had performed. A video captures the chaos as dozens of men, some wearing Shiv Sena logo scarves, smash chairs, and destroy the venue's interior.
Authorities are investigating the vandalism. CNN attempted to reach out to Shinde for comment.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde condemned Kamra's comments, claiming they "insulted" the people of Maharashtra. "Mumbai police should arrest Kunal Kamra, take him into custody, and incarcerate him," he said in a video statement.
Another party lawmaker, Naresh Mhaske, warned that Kamra would be unable to venture in public safety. "Let alone Maharashtra, you won't be able to stroll around all of India," he said in a video statement.
Kamra vowed not to apologize for his remark and criticized the "inability to tolerate a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure" on X. "As far as I am aware, it is not illegal to jab fun at our leaders and the clown show that is our political system," he wrote. "I don't fear this mob, and I won't be hiding under my blankets waiting for this storm to pass."
Some opposition politicians in Maharashtra have stood behind Kamra amid the political upheaval. Shinde's former political ally, Aditya Thackeray, responded, "Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone."
The Habitat expressed shock, fear, and dismay following the vandalism. The comedy club announced it would be momentarily closing down. "We have never been involved in the content performed by any artist, but the recent events have made us question how we get blamed and targeted," the venue stated on Instagram.
Growing intolerance
Kamra's latest controversy is not his first tussle with the law.
In December 2020, the Supreme Court found him in contempt of court for allegedly maligning the judiciary and judges through his social media posts. One of his tweets disagreed with the court's handling of a case involving a right-wing commentator.
Two years later, speaking with CNN, Kamra labeled India a "joyless society," confirming he had canceled up to one hundred shows due to threats from right-wing groups towards both the venue and the audience.
Though freedom of speech is guaranteed in India's democratic constitution, comedians in the country's vast democracy have historically faced the wrath of entitled politicians for their jokes.
In November 2021, right-wing politicians demanded comedian Vir Das' arrest after he presented a powerful monologue about the nation's rape crisis and a long-term farmer's protest. At that time, Ashutosh Dubey, a legal adviser to India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, accused Das of "defaming" India and filed a complaint with the police over his "incendiary" comments.
Although Das has not been formally charged with any crime, he continues to perform. However, other comedians who have faced similar situations have seen their careers disrupted.
Up-and-coming comedian Nalin Yadav was imprisoned in 2021 for allegedly planning and hosting a show for a Muslim comic who was charged with telling jokes that offended the majority Hindu faith. Yadav recounted his account to CNN after spending 57 days in prison, when his brother paid over $1,300 for his bail.
Kamra, however, asserted that the new investigation into his comments "doesn't change the essence of his right" to make fun of politicians.
Reference:[1] Chen, A. (2022, February 25). ‘My stand can't change’: India comedian to keep criticizing regulators. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/my-stand-can-t-change-india-comedian-to-keep-criticizing-regulators-2022-02-25/
[2] D’Souza, J. (2021, November 16). India’s Comedians Thrive in a System Helping to Keep Them Down. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/16/arts/international/india-comedy-censorship.html
[3] Rajan, H. (2022, March 16). Comedy club temporarily shuts down after comedian Kunal Kamra's home raided. Hindustan Times. https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/kunal-kamra-s-tmp-running-a-temporary-shutdown-amid-controversy-over-his-comedic-skit-101647318619435.html
[4] Raza, F. (2022, March 17). India comedian Kunal Kamra’s jokes ‘insult’ people of Maharashtra: Shiv Sena official. Arab News. https://www.arabnews.com/node/1967201/media
[5] Rediff.com News Desk. (2022, March 16). Kunal Kamra temporarily shuts down Mumbai comedy club, says they don't want to be "blamed and targeted". Rediff.com. https://www.rediff.com/news/report/kunal-kamra-temporarily-shuts-down-mumbai-comedy-club/20220316.htm
The world watches as the rebellion against freedom of speech in India continues, with the latest target being comedian Kunal Kamra in 2025. In response to Kamra's joke about a right-wing politician, authorities in Maharashtra have launched an investigation for alleged slander, reflecting India's growing intolerance towards comedians and their jokes. Meanwhile, the Habitat comedy club, where Kamra performed, has temporarily closed down due to a barbaric mob raid, led by the Shiv Sena political party, reacting to Kamra's comedic skit.
