Latest news with #HabitatComedyClub
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Shreya Dhanwanthary on Mumbai's waterlogging woes after heavy rains: 'Is this not more offensive than a joke in habitat'
Actor Shreya Dhanwanthary has expressed her frustration over the waterlogging issue in Mumbai following heavy rainfall. She took to Instagram to take a swipe at the city's infrastructure and governance. Also read: Vivek Agnihotri angry over waterlogging woes of Mumbai amid heavy rains: 'India's pathetic urbanisation is a scam' Seemingly referencing the controversy around standup comedian Kunal Kamra and India's Got Latent, she wondered how jokes and words are more offensive than this. Shreya vented her frustration on Instagram about Mumbai's waterlogging woes amidst the heavy rainfall. Shreya shared a note on her Instagram Stories, alongside a photo of a waterlogged road. 'Dear government, is this not more offensive than some joke said in some habitat? Tell me. The fact that our roads, our drainage and our infrastructure is the biggest offensive joke, but no one is coming (to) break anything? Now this is okay? Monsoon hasn't even arrived yet and we are CRIPPLED! Mumbai could handle 1000 mm of rain before it flooded in 2005,' Shreya shared. She added, 'Now we can't handle 100mm!!! Jokes and words are so offensive that you file FIRs and demand an apology? Where is our apology now? What are you going to blame now? Who are we going file FIRs against when someone like Brij Bhushan gets acquitted?! Oh what a ridiculous joke we live in'. Through her post, Shreya referenced the recent controversies surrounding comedian Kunal Kamra, whose performance led to the vandalism of the Habitat Comedy Club, as well as the backlash faced by Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia for their comments on India's Got Latent. Shreya made her debut with the 2009 Telugu film Josh. She made her Bollywood debut with Why Cheat India 10 years later in 2019. Her breakthrough came with Hansal Mehta's 2020 financial thriller show Scam 1992. A day after the India Meteorological Department declared the onset of the monsoon, the city received the highest one-day rainfall in May since 2021, when the extremely severe cyclonic storm, Cyclone Tauktae, which was said to be the worst cyclone in the last four decades, brushed passed the city. In the 24 hours ending at 8.30am on Tuesday, the city baseline weather station in Santacruz recorded 144 mm of rain while Colaba recorded 161.9 mm. Both weather stations recorded the highest rainfall in 24 hours since 2021 and the second highest in the last decade. The India Meteorological Department forecast a "generally cloudy sky with heavy rain" for the financial capital on Wednesday (May 28).
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
The Habitat has reopened after Kunal Kamra's controversial stand up act. Fans say, ‘Welcome back'
The Habitat Comedy Club, which was vandalised and temporarily shut after Kunal Kamra's controversial stand-up comedy act, has reopened according to their latest Instagram post. (Also read: 'No support to hate or harm', says Habitat club which hosted Kunal Kamra's show) The Habitat recently took to their Instagram handle and posted an impressive line up of comedians who would be soon performing at the venue. This includes Abhishek Upmanyu, Abhijeet Ganguly and Abhishek Bhutwani among others. A post shared by The Habitat (@indiehabitat) The fans were excited that their favurite venue for cultural shows and stand-ups was back. One fan commented said, 'Welcome back guys!'. Another one chimed in excitedly and wrote, 'Comedy Shuru Kiya jaaye (Let the comedy begin)'. One user could not contain his happiness and said, 'Glad you guys are officially back!'. Another one said, 'Welcome back❤️'. The Habitat Comedy Club was vandalised after comedian Kunal seemingly made a 'gaddar' (traitor) joke on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. The Habitat had issued a statement on the incident and said it does "not support hate or harm of any kind". According to report by HT, Shiv Sena workers had stormed the Habitat comedy club at Hotel UniContinental in Mumbai's Khar and vandalised the property. The club said that it was "shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us". On March 24, Habitat Studio announced they were shutting down after Shiv Sena workers vandalised its premises. In an Instagram post, the studio said, 'We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us. Artistes are solely responsible for their views and creative choices', and it has "never been involved in the content performed by them." "But recent events have made us rethink about how we get blamed and targeted every time almost like we are the proxy for the performer", it said. 'We are shutting down till we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy. We invite all artistes, audience and stakeholders to discuss and share their views free and request,' the note concluded.
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
The Habitat to reopen after a temporary shutdown over Kunal Kamra controversy
The Habitat Comedy Club, which was vandalised and decided to shut down temporarily after comedian Kunal Kamra's controversial stand-up act, on Tuesday, announced that it was reopening. The Habitat studio invited fresh registrations for the upcoming open mic events on Instagram.
The Independent
24-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Comedy club vandalised after Indian comedian makes joke about state leader
A comedian popular for his biting political humour is being investigated for possible defamation over jokes made about an Indian state leader who is an ally of prime minister Narendra Modi, in yet another case raising questions over freedom of speech in the country. Police in the western city of Mumbai opened an investigation on Monday against Kunal Kamra over a comedy skit referring to Eknath Shinde, the second highest elected leader of Maharashtra state, following a complaint filed by a politician from Shinde's Shiv Sena party. Kamra had made the remarks in a comedy skit, but it was unclear when the performance took place. A video clip of the skit Kamra posted on his Instagram profile on Sunday showed him taunting Shinde in a parody song. Kamra's use of the term 'traitor' particularly trigged Shiv Sena party workers and on Sunday they ransacked the studio where he had performed the skit. Police are also investigating the vandalism. One lawmaker from the party threatened Kamra on Sunday, saying he would be chased by the party workers throughout the country. 'You will be forced to flee India,' lawmaker Naresh Mhaske warned Kamra said in a video message. Shinde has not commented about the matter. Kamra has made no comment on the investigation, but late on Sunday he shared on his Instagram a picture of himself holding the Indian Constitution with caption: 'The only way forward.' The Habitat Comedy Club, where Kamra had performed, has now said it is shutting down following the vandalism. 'We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us,' it said in a statement on Monday, adding that the club will remain shut 'till we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy.' Kamra has faced the ire of Hindu nationalist groups and political parties in the past, particularly for jokes about Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party politicians.
The Hill
24-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Comedian's jokes about an Indian state leader are being investigated as potential defamation
NEW DELHI (AP) — A comedian popular for his biting political humor is being investigated for possible defamation over jokes made about an Indian state leader who is an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in yet another case raising questions over freedom of speech in the country. Police in the western city of Mumbai opened the investigation Monday against Kunal Kamra over a comedy skit referring to Eknath Shinde, the second highest elected leader of Maharashtra state, following a complaint filed by a politician from Shinde's Shiv Sena party. Kamra had made the remarks in a comedy skit, but it was unclear when the performance took place. A video clip of the skit Kamra posted on his Instagram profile on Sunday showed him taunting Shinde in a parody song. Kamra's use of the term 'traitor' particularly triggered Shiv Sena party workers and on Sunday they ransacked the studio where he had performed the skit. Police are also investigating the vandalism. One lawmaker from the party Sunday threatened Kamra, saying he would be chased by the party workers throughout the country. 'You will be forced to flee India,' lawmaker Naresh Mhaske warned Kamra in a video message. Shinde has not commented about the matter, but Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Kamra should apologize for his remarks. 'We respect freedom of expression, but recklessness will not be tolerated,' Fadnavis told reporters. Kamra has made no comment on the investigation, but late Sunday he shared on his Instagram a picture of himself holding the Indian Constitution with caption: 'The only way forward.' The Habitat Comedy Club, where Kamra had performed, said it was shutting down following the vandalism. 'We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us,' it said in a statement Monday, adding that the club will remain shut 'till we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy.' Kamra has faced the ire of Hindu nationalist groups and political parties in the past, particularly for jokes about Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party politicians.
