Kunal Kamra Controversy: Mumbai’s Habitat Studio Vandalised then Demolished, Kamra Refuses to Apologise

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Mar 2: Amid the uproar over stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra making some derogatory remarks against the Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) staff on Monday carried out demolition of the studio in Khar where the comedian’s video shoot took place after the Shinde supporter Shiv Sainakis vandalised the premises on Sunday night.

The BMC has cited some “violation of rules” for the demolition of the studio but was yet to give specific rule violations. Some sources, however, said the Habitat Studio’s premises were in an encroached area between two hotels. The BMC is currently helmed by an IAS officer and since its elections are due, the ruling coalition exercises control over the civic body. Against this backdrop, the action against the Mumbai studio is likely to draw strong criticism from the Opposition and further stoke the row.

Kamra has courted controversy with his latest video in which he allegedly used defamatory words like “gaddar” (traitor) against Mr Shinde in a parody of song. While based on a complaint made by Shiv Sena MLA an FIR was registered against Mr Kamra on Monday Shiv Sena party workers have also been booked for vandalising the studio. The Shinde supporters also burned Mr Kamra’s photo outside a police station in Thane – seen as his political stronghold.

The entire political spectrum in Maharashtra has been quick to react to the incident. On the one hand, opposition parties including the Shiv Sena (UBT) slammed the vandalism at the show venue, calling it a “cowardly” act, the BJP has questioned the “timing” of Mr Kamra’s remarks. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the comedian’s acts can’t be justified as “freedom of speech.”

Earlier in the day, the management of the Habitat Studio, where also the controversial “India Got Latent” shows by Ranveer Allahabadia filmed, said they had decided to shut the premises for now and that they were not responsible for the views of the artists performing on the premises. “We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us. Artists are solely responsible for their views and creative choices. We have never been involved in the content performed by any Artist, but the recent events have made us rethink about how we get blamed and targeted every time almost like we are a proxy for the performer.”

“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 artists, audience and stakeholders to discuss and share their views freely and request your guidance so that we also respect the performers’ rights,” the studio said. The studio had also posted that it was not involved in the making of Kunal Kamra’s latest video and “does not endorse the views expressed by it.” “We extend a sincere and heartfelt apology to all those hurt by this video,” it said.

In a show shot last month, Kunal Kamra targeted Mr Shinde with a parody version of ‘Bholi Si Surat’, a popular song from the 1997 blockbuster Dil To Pagal Hai. He used the ‘gaddar’ (traitor) jibe against the Shiv Sena leader, who led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022, bringing down his government and splitting the party. Multiple FIRs have been filed against the comic, including one based on a complaint by minister Pratap Sarnaik.

Comedian Kunal Kamra has told the police he did not regret his ‘gaddar‘ remark seen as referring to Mr Shinde. He also said he would only apologise – an apology has been demanded by Mr Fadnavis, if told to by the courts. Police sources further said Mr Kamra – who spoke to the cops from Tamil Nadu – denied rumours he had been paid by the opposition to target Mr Shinde. Sources also said Mr Kamra gave the cops permission to check his finances – to confirm no such payment was received – if needed.

Videos of the vandalism – all 11 of whom were released on bail within hours – showed a mob running rampant through the studio in Mumbai’s Khar area, damaging property and throwing chairs around. Mr Kamra’s comment has drawn counter-criticism from the opposition – particularly the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction. Aaditya Thackeray, his son, labelled Mr Shinde an “insecure coward” and his colleague, Priyanka Chaturvedi pointed out that Mr Kamra had not actually named Mr Shinde. “Their vandalism shows that it hurt them and that there is truth in the joke. What kind of intolerance is this? If you don’t like something, file a police complaint…” she said.

Meanwhile, the complainant MLA has demanded an apology and given Mr Kamra an ultimatum of two days, failing which he says police action would follow. Maharashtra Congress said on social media platform X that criticisms must be tolerated in a democracy, condemning the vandalising of Kunal Kamara’s studio.

The 36-year-old Kunal Kamra pops up in the headlines every now and then, each time for something he has said in his shows or on social media. The issues have ranged from several airlines banning him from flying for heckling a TV news anchor to facing contempt of court for his comments on the judiciary.

Today, too, news cycles were dominated by Kamra, who has reportedly left the state after the row that saw Mr Fadnavis asking him for an apology, opposition leader Uddhav Thackeray coming to his defence and the venue of his show being vandalised by members of the Shiv Sena (Shinde).

In 2017, he grabbed attention with his first stand-up comedy on YouTube where he poked fun at the government for invoking the Army and patriotism when criticised for its policies. Titled “Patriotism & the Government”, the video has 18 million views.

The same year, he started a YouTube show titled “Shut Up Ya Kunal” where he would interview personalities from across the spectrum. The guest list was eclectic, including BJP leader Tejaswi Surya, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Congress’ Sachin Pilot as well as lyricist Javed Akhtar and journalist Ravish Kumar.

The questions were no holds barred with the interviews inserted with memes, photographs and funny videos to draw laughter. The show was a hit but not without its share of controversies. In 2020, he heckled TV anchor Arnab Goswami aboard a Mumbai-Lucknow IndiGo flight. The video became viral and led IndiGo to suspend Kamra from flying with it for six months. Air India and SpiceJet put him on a no-fly list until further notice.

Kamra found himself at the centre of another scandal that year when he mocked then Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde on social media after Goswami was given an interim bail in a 2018 abetment to suicide case. The post attracted a contempt case against Mr Kamra. An undeterred Kamra made another remark against the Supreme Court, which led to a petition being filed against the comedian in the already pending contempt of court case.

In the same year, Kamra kicked up another controversy by sharing a morphed video of a child singing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Germany. The child sang “Hey Janmabhoomi Bharat” but it was replaced with the famous “Peepli Live” song “Mehengayi daayan khaaye jaat hai.”

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam said, “Until Kunal Kamra apologises for his statement, we will not leave him. Our people are searching for him, but we have come to know that he is not in Mumbai and has probably fled from here. We will not leave him until he apologizes.”

An FIR has already been lodged against Kamra at the MIDC police station, Nirupam confirmed and said Kamra needs to be taught a lesson. “At present, an FIR has been lodged against him in MIDC police station, but if he does not apologise, the law will do its work in its way, and we will do our work in our way,” Nirupam stated.

The Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal said the BJP-led Mahayuti government wanted to turn Maharashtra into a “Taliban-like” state. He condemned the attack on the by Shiv Sena workers and said, “The attackers belong to a ruling party. Do they not trust their own government, the Constitution, the law and home department? Why did they take law into their own hands? Why did they resort to this attack when Kamra did not name Shinde,” Sapkal asked.

He said the state government had used a bulldozer to demolish the house of an accused in the March 17 Nagpur violence, but they are yet to use it against BJP minister Nitesh Rane for “provocative and inflammatory statements.” “Does the ruling alliance plan to turn Maharashtra into a Taliban-like state,” he asked.

“It is a shameless use of violence and taking law and order in your own hands while you are in the government because you have an objection to some comedy,” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said. She said the same Kamra, before 2014, used to crack more severe jokes on former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA government, and there was never any use of violence of any kind against him.

Shiv Sena leaders, however, justified the ransacking as a “spontaneous reaction” to alleged attempts by a political party to further its agenda in the name of comedy through its “paid agent.”

The row rocked proceedings of both Houses of the legislature in Maharashtra on Monday leading to brief adjournments. The legislative assembly witnessed uproarious scenes with Shiv Sena members demanding strict action against the stand-up comedian for his “traitor” jibe at Shinde.

Arjun Khotkar of Shiv Sena raised the issue, supported by Minister Shambhuraj Desai. As members of the treasury benches rose on their feet shouting slogans, Speaker Rahul Narwekar adjourned the proceedings for five minutes after noon.

In the legislative council, legislators from the treasury and opposition benches were engaged in a heated exchange, following which the proceedings were adjourned for ten minutes, followed by 15 minutes, and then for half an hour.