Indian comedian Kunal Kamra has turned down the demand for an apology for his traitorous remark about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Kamra sparked a fresh controversy with his “gaddar” remark targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
During his recent comedy special, “Naya Bharat,” filmed at The Habitat studio in Mumbai, Kamra modified a song from the Bollywood movie Dil To Pagal Hai. He sang, “Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye,” calling Shinde a traitor for his 2022 rebellion against Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray. That move split the party and toppled Thackeray’s government. The video went viral, and trouble followed fast.
Shiv Sena workers, loyal to Shinde, reacted with fury. They vandalized The Habitat studio, smashing chairs and equipment. An FIR soon landed against Kamra, filed by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, accusing him of defamation and inciting mischief. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis demanded an apology, saying, “Freedom of speech doesn’t cover low-level comedy.” Shinde’s supporters even threatened to chase Kamra across India.
Accused of playing in the hands of opposition parties
Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation demolished parts of the venue, citing violations. Kamra, unfazed, told police he’d apologize only if a court ordered it. He even offered to open his finances to disprove claims of being paid by the opposition.
This isn’t Kamra’s first brush with controversy. His bold humor often lands him in hot water. In 2020, he confronted Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami on an IndiGo flight. Kamra grilled Goswami’s journalism, posting the video online.
Airlines like IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet banned him for months, sparking a debate on free speech. The incident made Kamra a polarizing figure—loved by some, loathed by others.
Then came his jab at the judiciary. In 2020, Kamra mocked then-Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde on social media. He posted a photo with a raised middle finger, captioning it as a message to Bobde after the Supreme Court bailed out Goswami.
Attorney General KK Venugopal approved contempt proceedings, calling it “obscene.” Kamra stood firm, refusing to back down. Earlier that year, he stirred outrage by editing a video of a boy singing for PM Narendra Modi, swapping the song for one about inflation. The boy’s father slammed him, but Kamra shrugged it off.
Old controversies dog Kunal Kamra
In 2022, his shows in Gujarat faced cancellation. BJP supporters protested his digs at the state’s politics, forcing venues to shut him out.
A year later, Kamra questioned the Ayodhya Ram Temple fundraising. Right-wing groups accused him of hurting sentiments, leading to more show bans. His X account also took a hit in 2023 when he posted the edited Modi video, though it later got reinstated.
The “gaddar” row now fuels Kamra’s fiery reputation. Supporters, like Uddhav Thackeray’s faction, cheer his satire, with Thackeray saying, “Calling a gaddar a gaddar isn’t wrong.” Critics, however, see it as a cheap provocation.
Kamra remains defiant, holding the Constitution in a post, signaling he won’t bend. Love him or hate him, Kamra’s knack for stirring the pot keeps him in the spotlight. Each clash only deepens the divide over his brand of comedy.