GUWAHATI: Comedian Kunal Kamra has found himself in trouble once again. His latest stand-up special, Naya Bharat, released on March 23, has stirred up political tensions after he took a jibe at the last Maharashtra elections and made remarks about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
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In the special, Kamra referenced Shinde in a segment that has been labelled defamatory by political supporters. On the night of March 23, hours after the special went live, workers from the Shiv Sena’s youth wing vandalised Habitat Studio in Mumbai’s Khar area — the very venue where Kamra’s show was recorded.
Mumbai Police arrested 11 members of the party’s youth wing in connection with the attack, on Monday, March 24. Meanwhile, an FIR has been filed against Kamra in Mumbai.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also weighed in on the controversy. He condemned Kamra’s comments, stating,"The way stand-up comedian Kamra humiliated Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde is wrong. We condemn this. Such things can't be tolerated..." He also added that Kamra should apologise for what he called “low-level comedy.”
Kamra, however, has made it clear he will only apologise if ordered by the court.
Following the incident, Habitat Studio issued a statement announcing that it would temporarily shut down “until we can provide a platform for free expression without risking our safety.” The venue is known for hosting popular shows like Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent.
As debates rage on social media and beyond, the question remains: where do we draw the line between humour and offence?
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