New Delhi: Kunal Kamra’s joke about Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde led to Shiv Sena workers vandalising a Mumbai hotel on Sunday evening. This is the latest in a string of attacks on stand-up comics in Maharashtra. Earlier in February, comedian Pranit More was allegedly assaulted in Solapur over jokes about actor Veer Pahariya. Days later, FIRs were filed in Mumbai against stand-up comic Samay Raina and influencers Ranveer Allahabadia and Apoorv Makhija over an episode of the satirical show India’s Got Latent.
Kamra mocked Shinde during a performance at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, referring to him as a “gaddar” (traitor). As the video of his set went viral, Shiv Sena workers vandalised the venue in Khar, and lodged an FIR against the comedian. The Habitat announced its temporary closure on Monday, stating it was re-evaluating its responsibility following the incident.
An FIR has been filed against the Shiv Sena workers involved in the vandalism.
Before the incident, the studio had clarified on social media that it was not involved in the making of Kunal Kamra’s latest video and did not endorse the views expressed in it. It had also issued an apology. “We extend a sincere and heartfelt apology to all those hurt by this video,” read the Instagram post.
Indie Habitat is also where the controversial episode of India’s Got Latent was filmed, prompting the Maharashtra Cyber Department to register a suo moto FIR on 11 February and summon more than 40 people involved with the show.
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Series of attacks
Last month, Pranit More was allegedly assaulted in Solapur by a group of men claiming to be Bollywood debutante Veer Pahariya’s fans. Pahariya is the grandson of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.
In a social media post by the comedian’s team, it was shared that the incident took place on 2 February, after the comedian’s performance at Solapur’s 24K Kraft Brewzz. A group of 10-12 men attacked the comic, warning him against making jokes on Pahariya.
Within five days of this, India’s Got Latent came under fire for a question asked by influencer Ranveer Allahabadia, and FIRs were lodged in both Mumbai and Assam against him. Allahabadia was heavily criticised, with even the Supreme Court coming down heavily on the influencer who had earlier interviewed BJP leaders and Union Ministers S Jaishankar and Piyush Goyal and former Ministers Smriti Irani and Rajeev Chandrasekhar for his podcast.
In 2024, a joke by Munawar Faruqui at a Mumbai show landed him in trouble and he had to issue a video apology. During a performance in Taloja, Mumbai, he said, Konkanis fool others. This remark did not sit well with people, and he received a lot of backlash online. BJP leader Nitesh Rane shared a video in response to Faruqui’s joke and said that he will thrash him in Malwani style as he knows the address of the comic’s house.
Kamra has found support in Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray who condemned the attack on the studio, calling it an act of cowardice. MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also took a jibe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and urged Kamra to ‘stand strong’.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)
Kunal Kamra deserves a good Shiv Sena style thrashing. That would put some sense into him.
And Apoorva Makhija (aka The “Rebel” Kid) is a disgrace to our society.
The government agencies must go after these “comedians”.