Comedian Kunal Kamra slams T-Series, says latest stand-up video's visibility blocked

Kunal Kamra

Comedian Kunal Kamra, whose stand-up comic show at Mumbai's Habitat studio, which sparked a massive row over his jokes on Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, on Tuesday hit back at music company TSeries after it blocked his controversial stand-up video, Naya Bharat: A Comedy Special, on YouTube.

In a scathing comment on X, Kamra wrote, "Hello @TSeries, stop being a stooge. Parody and Satire comes under fair use legally. I haven’t used the lyrics or the original instrumental of the song. If you take this video down every cover song/dance video can be taken down.
Creators please take a note of it (sic)." "Having said that every monopoly in India is nothing short of the Mafia, so please watch/download this special before it’s taken down," Kamra remarked.

Unfazed by the raging controversy over his "traitor" jab at Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, comedian Kunal Kamra dropped a new parody song on Wednesday, taking potshots at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and accusing the BJP of "tanashahi" (dictatorship). The video was released by Kamra as Mumbai police issued him a second summons, rejecting the comedian's request for a week's time to appear for questioning.

The internet was replete with reactions to the post as one user wrote, "You expect too much from T series. T series has in the past violated the rights of the very singers and musicians who created songs for them - whether it is for stage performances, remakes and even using their own songs. Imagine a singer can't use their own song. This is nothing (sic)." Another person commented, "This is Kunal Kamra against the system."

Kunal Kamra has made headlines after his parody of a popular song targeting Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Upset over the joke, Sena leaders vandalised the Habitat studio in Mumbai where the show was shot.

Police cases have been filed against the comic and the civic body has cracked down on the studio. Kunal Kamra has said he does not fear the mob and won't be hiding. He has said he is willing to cooperate with police and courts, but questioned if the law would also apply to those involved in the vandalism.