New Delhi: Actor and television host Shekhar Suman dismissed suggestions that the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raid on the producer of his YouTube satire show, Shekhar Tonite, was linked to its political commentary.
He said he did not believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his government would be concerned about a show of its scale.
In an interview with The Lallantop, Suman said, “I don’t think Modi is so weak that people in his government would call me over such a small show. He’s a very powerful man, and I think he has much bigger things to worry about. There are other sorrows in the world besides Shekhar Tonite.”
Shekhar Tonite
Suman’s weekly YouTube show, which began in May 2026, regularly uses satire to comment on politics.
In a June episode, he told the story of an arrogant king who smashed a magical mirror because it showed him his faults. The king’s courtiers then introduced a rule: “Anyone who shows a mirror is an enemy, and anyone who asks questions is a traitor.”
Suman eventually revealed that the king was US President Donald Trump. However, many viewers interpreted the monologue as a reference to Modi. The Congress also shared the clip on its official social media account, asking who the king was.
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What happened in the ED raid?
On 9 July, the ED, under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), raided the premises of Kalanee Impex Private Limited, linked to the show’s producer Dharmesh Sangani.
According to officials quoted by media reports, the raid was part of an investigation into alleged foreign exchange violations involving his company.
Suman said he did not know why the ED had conducted the searches and had not asked Sangani about the reason. He acknowledged that people might look at the timing and “add two and two”, but pointed out that Sangani was an independent businessman with other commercial interests.
Suman also said Sangani had called him after the searches and urged him to continue making the show.
“Don’t stop. Keep doing your show. I’m always with you. Don’t be scared,” Suman recalled him saying.
Suman added, “I still believe the government isn’t that weak. And if it is, that’s very unfortunate.”
‘Why would Modi stop it?’
In the same interview, Suman also recalled the scepticism that greeted the show when it first appeared on YouTube. According to him, many viewers commented that it would not make it to a second episode.
“Why wouldn’t there be? Who would stop it? Why would Modi stop it?” he said.
Suman said he presumed Modi had a sense of humour and would not take the jokes too seriously.
The actor said he was initially nervous when calls came in from BJP politicians, wondering whether they were complaints about the show. Instead, he said, the calls were to express appreciation, with some politicians even visiting his home.
Suman rejected the idea that Shekhar Tonite was particularly critical of the BJP. He drew a comparison with his earlier television show, Movers & Shakers, where he poked fun at former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
Speaking about Shekhar Tonite he said, “It’s not anti-anyone. It’s pro-people.”
(Edited by Maryam Hassan)