Latest news with #KunalKamra
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Maharashtra Council extends deadline for Privileges Committee report on Kunal Kamra, Sushma Andhare
The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Friday (July 18, 2025) approved a motion granting the Privileges Committee additional time — until the end of the State legislature's next session — to submit its report on stand-up comedian and satirist Kunal Kamra and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare over remarks allegedly targeting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The motion was moved by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Prasad Lad, who also chairs the Privileges Committee. The case arises from a breach of privilege notice moved by BJP MLC Pravin Darekar during the Budget session, in which Mr. Kamra was accused of insulting Mr. Shinde during a parody performance. The act allegedly used the word 'gaddar' or 'traitor in reference to Mr. Shinde's 2022 defection from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and was deemed offensive by the complainant. Ms. Andhare had allegedly expressed support for the performance, which was construed as contempt of the legislature. The show in question was performed and recorded at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar area and was later uploaded online on March 23, under the title Naya Bharat (New India). Following the release of the video, members of the Shiv Sena, including party functionary Rahul Kanal and eleven others, allegedly vandalised the venue in protest. Subsequently, show-cause notices were issued to both Mr. Kamra and Ms. Andhare by the Legislative Council Secretariat. However, the notices could not be delivered due to incomplete address details. Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde had referred the breach notice to the Privileges Committee in June for further inquiry. On March 24, an FIR was lodged against Mr. Kamra at Khar police station under Sections 353(1)(B), 353(2) and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, accusing him of defaming the Deputy Chief Minister. Mr. Kamra later approached the Madras High Court, stating that he had been residing in Tamil Nadu since 2021. In his petition, he submitted that he had received over 500 death threat calls and messages since the video was uploaded and expressed fear of arrest by Mumbai Police. The High Court extended his interim anticipatory bail till April 17. Mr. Kamra, however, has not responded to two summonses issued by the Mumbai Police. Editorial: No country for comedy: On Kunal Kamra and Maharashtra On June 7, Mr. Lad told The Hindu that the 11-member Privileges Committee had approved the proposal with a full majority. 'Once the show-cause notice is issued, the respondent is asked to give a written reply within 15 days. Failure to do so leads to a second show-cause notice, and in case the respondent does not respond to three notices, the committee can ask the police to arrest them,' he said. 'Thereafter, their statement is recorded in front of the committee. The respondent can choose to apologise, or be represented by a lawyer if we give them permission, or put forth their side by themselves. Whatever decision the committee takes thereafter, it is the final decision. Even the courts have no jurisdiction in the matter,' Mr. Lad added.
NDTV
18-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Kunal Kamra's New ' Hum Honge Kamiyab ' Jibe Over Maharashtra Assembly Brawl
New Delhi: Comedian Kunal Kamra has once again invoked his infamous satirical ' hum honge kamiyab ' (we shall overcome) song that triggered a controversy in March - this time mocking the violent clash in the Maharashtra Assembly between the supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and NCP (Sharad Pawar group) MLA Jitendra Awhad. The video featured a clip of the brawl with the satirical ' hum honge kamiyab ' song playing in the background. Kamra also slipped in shots of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde - in an apparent dig at the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Mr Kamra captioned the video as "lawbreakers". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kunal Kamra (@kuna_kamra) Videos of the two groups, BJP and NCP(SP), pummeling each other and having to be dragged back by security personnel have been doing the rounds on social media. The fight began with a verbal spat outside the assembly building on Thursday over Mr Awhad's days-old 'mangasultra thief' remark. While the NCP(SP) leader had not named anyone, the jibe was widely seen as directed at BJP's Gopichand Padalkar. During the fight yesterday, both MLAs and their supporters exchanged expletives. Shortly after the incident, Mr Awhad said he received abusive and threatening messages. "Yesterday, Padalkar's supporters verbally abused me at the gate of the Legislative Assembly. I request the former Assembly Speaker to now grant parliamentary recognition to this verbal abuse. And today, I received a death threat on my mobile. I was abused with references to my mother and sister. All this happened while I was in the Assembly. I want to see if the state police administration will take action now or not," he wrote on X. Mr Padalkar, who later met Speaker Rahul Narwekar and senior party leaders, said that the incident was "unfortunate" and has apologised. However, the issue snowballed with Mr Awhad's party colleague Rohit Pawar raising the issue in the assembly, demanding action. The assembly speaker sought a report on the incident and promised a thorough investigation and subsequent action. Kunal Kamra's Eknath Shinde parody row A huge row erupted earlier this year after Kunal Kamra used the parody of the song 'hum honge kamiyab' during his stand-up special 'Naya Bharat' in March - changing the words to 'hum honge kangaal' (we shall be bankrupt). During his performance, Mr Kamra referred to Eknath Shinde as "gaddar" (traitor) and joked about how the now Deputy Chief Minister rebelled against ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in 2022, causing the Sena to split and the government to fall. This drew strong backlash from Shiv Sena leaders, including Shinde loyalists. The leaders even vandalised the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar area, where the comedian had performed and recorded the show. Many cases were also filed against Mr Kamra which reached the courts. In April, the Bombay High Court had given a measure of relief to the comedian, saying he cannot be arrested. However, the bench of Justice Sarang Kotwal and Justice SM Modak also said the investigation against Mr Kamra will be allowed to continue, pending a detailed hearing of his plea to quash charges. Mr Kamra, however, had stressed his right to freedom of speech. "Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of my right. As far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system," he had said.
Hindustan Times
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Lawbreakers': Kunal Kamra's new parody targets Mahayuti over Maharashtra Assembly scuffle
Comedian Kunal Kamra on Thursday released a satirical video mocking the recent chaos in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, where a physical altercation broke out between members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar faction (NCP-SP). Comedian Kunal Kamra released a satirical video 'Lawbreakers', which mocks the recent Maharashtra Assembly scuffle and takes aim at the Mahayuti leadership. Kamra's montage, posted on social media, featured clips of the scuffle edited to his controversial 'Hum Honge Kamyaab' song. Captioning the video as 'lawbreakers', the footage also included shots of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, in an apparante dig to the ruling Mahayuti alliance. The song used in the video is the same as the one he performed during his stand-up special Naya Bharat in March, where he had referred to Eknath Shinde as a 'gaddar' (traitor), drawing sharp reactions from Shinde's camp. Following his stand-up special earlier this year, Kamra faced backlash from members of the Shiv Sena's youth wing, Yuva Sena. The group vandalised the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar area, where Kamra had performed and recorded the show. The new montage appears to be a continuation of his ongoing commentary on the state's political leadership. Kunal Kamra, known for his quirky political satires, had earlier refused to apologise despite facing backlash. He had firmly condemned the violence. Brawl erupts outside Maharashtra Assembly Kamra's post comes after a scuffle broke out between supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and NCP-SP leader Jitendra Awhad at the Maharashtra Legislature complex on Thursday. Video footage of the incident, which went viral, showed members of both groups in a heated confrontation outside the Assembly. Awhad later alleged that he was physically threatened and verbally abused during the clash. 'The whole of Maharashtra knows who the attacker was. We are being asked for evidence again and again, while the whole country has seen who carried out the attack. Goons are being allowed to enter the assembly, posing a threat to the safety of the MLAs. I was abused, threatened with death. Abusive words like 'dog', 'pig' were used. Was this what was expected to happen in the assembly?' Awhad told reporters. Raising concerns over lawmaker safety, he added, 'I just came out after giving a speech, and these people came to confront me. If MLAs are not safe in the assembly, then why should we remain MLAs?' 'Goons have reached Vidhan Sabha' BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar called the incident 'unfortunate' and offered an apology. 'I am really saddened by what occurred here. This is an unfortunate incident...I express my regret and apologise...' he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray criticised the Mahayuti government, saying, 'If goons have reached Vidhan Sabha, then state home minister and chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) should take responsibility for it. This is very unfortunate. Such conduct at the Vidhan Sabha is not appropriate,' he said. Congress MLA Nana Patole also condemned the violence and urged immediate action. 'We condemn the incident. Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha has always had a examples are cited and taken pride in, across the country. But what happened on the Vidhan Sabha premises today should not happen again – the Assembly Speaker and the CM should take care of this.' He further compared the situation to the 2001 Parliament attack. 'Mumbai is always on high alert. In times like these, with a large number of people accompanying MLAs and ministers, it is a very serious matter that they endanger the security of the Vidhan Sabha. Even the Parliament was not safe; it was also attacked during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government's rule. I believe this is not the sole responsibility of the Speaker. All public representatives should take care of this,' Patole said.
India Today
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Hum honge kamyaab: Kunal Kamra's satirical dig at Maharashtra Assembly brawl
Comedian Kunal Kamra took a cheeky jab at the bedlam inside the Maharashtra Assembly by uploading a satirical montage of the scuffle, captioning it "Lawbreakers". In a satirical video set to his offbeat rendition of Hum Honge Kamyaab, Kamra stitched together dramatic clips of the brawl between BJP and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) supporters - then slipped in shots of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, making his dig at the Mahayuti alliance unmistakably song is the same one that Kamra performed in March during his stand-up special Naya Bharat, where he referred to Eknath Shinde as a "gaddar" (traitor) in a parody of a popular Hindi film act drew strong backlash from Shiv Sena leaders, including Shinde loyalists, and led to a complaint being filed against Kamra. Following the outrage, members of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shinde's Shiv Sena faction, vandalised the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar area, where Kamra had recorded the special. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kunal Kamra (@kuna_kamra) Despite the threats and vandalism, Kamra stood by his performance and refused to apologise. He condemned the violence and criticised those targeting venues that host political satire. His latest video, posted in the wake of the Assembly scuffle, appears to be a continuation of his criticism of the state's political incident that prompted Kamra's post took place inside the Maharashtra Legislature complex, where a violent clash broke out between supporters of BJP's Gopichand Padalkar and NCP (Sharad Pawar group)'s Jitendra Awhad. Viral footage from the spot showed the two groups trading punches in the lobby near the main entrance, with security personnel struggling to separate clash was reportedly triggered by an earlier confrontation between the two MLAs, during which Awhad accused Padalkar of deliberately slamming a car door on him. The situation escalated the next day when their supporters came to blows. Two people were detained by Vidhan Bhavan security in connection with the MLA from Jat, later apologised and expressed regret over the incident. "This is an unfortunate incident. As a member of the legislative house, I express my regret and apologise to the Speaker of the Assembly and Chairperson of the Legislative Council," he Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the fracas, calling it "absolutely inappropriate" and called for an investigation into the Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the incident indicated how "goons have reached Vidhan Sabha" and demanded accountability from the state's top meanwhile, alleged that the attack on him was premeditated. "Goons are being allowed to enter the assembly and the safety of MLAs is in danger," he said, claiming he had been verbally abused and threatened with death. "If MLAs are not safe even inside the Vidhan Bhavan, what is the point of being a public representative?" he (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar echoed Awhad's concerns and said the clash reflected a deeper breakdown in law and order in the state. "Now there are even planned attacks inside the Vidhan Bhavan. Maharashtra has become worse than Bihar," he issue was raised in both Houses of the legislature, prompting Speaker Rahul Narwekar to seek a detailed report and promise appropriate action. Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar demanded a probe into how entry passes were being issued, amid growing concern about overcrowding and security lapses within the Assembly premises.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'37, Male, Straight, Single': Kunal Kamra says he is feeling divorced without marriage
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, known for his outspoken political commentary , on Tuesday shared a sarcastic post on X referencing his frequent legal battles . "Relationship Status – 37, Male, Straight, Single, Never Married But Feel Divorced Because Of The Court Cases," he wrote. The comment follows a recent decision by the Maharashtra legislature 's privileges committee to issue him a show cause notice. Responding via Instagram Stories at the time, Kamra wrote, "Show-cause notice is your Privilege. Jokes are my Right." Court proceedings over 'gaddar' remark On April 25, 2025, the Bombay High Court admitted Kamra's petition to quash an FIR filed against him for allegedly referring to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a "gaddar" (traitor) during a comedy show. The court also directed the Mumbai Police not to arrest him in the case. The complaint stems from a March 2025 performance in which Kamra parodied a Hindi film song and included comments on the political developments in Maharashtra, including the Shiv Sena and NCP splits. — kunalkamra88 (@kunalkamra88) Live Events Venue vandalised following viral video After the video of the performance went viral on social media, members of the Shiv Sena vandalised the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar area, where the show was recorded. Damage was also reported to the hotel that houses the venue. Kamra condemned the vandalism and said he would not apologise for his comments. History of legal challenges Originally from Mumbai and now based in Puducherry, Kamra has previously faced legal scrutiny for his criticism of public institutions. In 2020, he was charged with contempt of court over a series of tweets criticising the Supreme Court for granting interim bail to TV anchor Arnab Goswami. His continued commentary on political and judicial matters has kept him at the centre of public debate.
