Kunal Kamra, one of India’s most outspoken comedians, is no stranger to controversy. His latest show, Naya Bharat, performed at a Mumbai studio, has once again brewed up a political storm.
During his act, Kamra allegedly took a dig at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, referring to him as a "gaddar" (traitor) through a song from the iconic Bollywood movie Dil To Pagal Hai.
The comedian's remark has drawn the ire of prominent Maharashtra politicians, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who stated that “appropriate action” would be taken against Kamra and demanded an apology. Shiv Sena leaders (Eknath Shinde faction) took to vandalising the Habitat Studio studio in Thar where Kamra's show was shot on Sunday night. Following the incident, an FIR has been lodged against 20 individuals involved in the attack.
This is, however, far from Kamra’s first brush with controversy. Over the years, his no-holds-barred commentary has frequently landed him in trouble.
Below are some of the incidents that have kept him in the headlines:
Confrontation with Arnab Goswami (2020): Kamra gained national attention in January 2020 when he heckled Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami on an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Lucknow. In a two-minute video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Kamra called Goswami a "coward" and challenged his journalistic ethics.
Goswami, however, remained silent throughout the incident. Following the video's viral spread, IndiGo launched an investigation and imposed a six-month ban on Kamra, citing a Level 1 offense under aviation rules. The ban was later reduced to three months. Air India, SpiceJet, and GoAir also barred him from flying, leading to a wider debate on whether the punishment was excessive.
‘Brahmin-Baniya’ remark about the Supreme Court (2020): A plea was filed against Kamra in May 2020 for allegedly making casteist remarks about the Supreme Court during his show Be Like, calling it a “Brahmin-Baniya affair.” Petitioners sought contempt proceedings, arguing that his comments were derogatory toward the judiciary.
Objectionable Remark Against CJI (2020): Kamra triggered another legal storm in 2020 after mocking then Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde, on X. He posted an edited image of Bobde along with the caption, “One of these fingers is for CJI Bobde… ok, let me not confuse you, it’s the middle one.”
The remark came after the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Arnab Goswami in a 2018 abetment to suicide case. Following this, Attorney General KK Venugopal had given his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Kamra, citing his “obscene and derogatory” comments. However, despite legal action, Kamra had refused to apologise.
Dig at PM Modi over COVID-19 crisis (2021): During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kamra frequently criticized the Modi government for its handling of the crisis, particularly oxygen shortages and vaccine delays. Some of his posts were flagged for misinformation, but he defended his stance, arguing that satire was being misinterpreted as fake news.
Ban in Gujarat (2022): Kamra’s comedy shows in Ahmedabad were abruptly cancelled following protests by BJP supporters. The backlash intensified after he criticised Gujarat’s political climate, sarcastically suggesting that stand-up comedy was no longer safe in the state.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir funding remark (2023): Kamra faced backlash for questioning the fundraising process for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. Right-wing groups accused him of hurting religious sentiments, leading to the cancellation of his shows in Gujarat and other BJP-ruled states amid protests.
Ban from X for post on PM Modi (2023): Kamra’s account on X was temporarily suspended after he shared a morphed video of a seven-year-old boy who had sung a patriotic song for PM Modi in Germany. In Kamra’s version, the song ‘Hey Janmabhoomi Bharat’ was replaced with ‘Mehengayi Daayan Khaaye Jaat Hai’, a song from Peepli Live.
The boy’s father lashed out at Kamra, asking him to keep children out of his “filthy politics.” The video was later deleted, and Kamra’s account was reinstated.
Spat with Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal (2023-24): Kamra and Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal were involved in a heated exchange on social media over customer grievances.
Kamra slammed Ola for unresolved refund issues and scooter failures. The feud escalated when Kamra posted a photo of multiple Ola scooters parked outside a service center, hinting at technical failures. Aggarwal hit back, saying, “If you’re so concerned, why don’t you help? If not, shut up and let us fix real customer issues.”
Sati Debate With Amish Tripathi (2023): Kamra, this February, was involved in an online spat with author Amish Tripathi over the historical evidence of Sati Pratha in India. The argument was triggered by Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal’s praise of a podcast claiming sati was “rare.”
Kamra countered by citing Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s efforts to abolish the practice in 1829 and pointed out that the last known case of sati occurred as recently as 1987.
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