Kunal Kamra’s Mockery of Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Triggers Outrage, Vandalism, and Legal Action

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra is at the centre of an escalating controversy after mocking Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a recent live performance at ‘The Unicontinental Club’ in Mumbai's Khar area. Kamra's satirical remarks, delivered in a parody of a popular Bollywood song, have sparked a fierce backlash from Shinde's Shiv Sena faction, leading to vandalism, threats, and multiple FIRs. Despite the uproar, Kamra remains unapologetic, further fuelling debates about free speech and political sensitivity in India.

During the show, Kamra performed a satirical version of a song from the 1997 film ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, altering the lyrics to include: “Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye,” which translates to “If you look through my eyes, he appears as a traitor. Alas!” While Kamra did not directly name Shinde, the reference was unmistakably aimed at Shinde’s 2022 rebellion against then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. This rebellion split the Shiv Sena and led to Shinde’s alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Kamra also humorously critiqued Maharashtra's “tumultuous” political landscape, joking about the splits within the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He quipped, “Shiv Sena first came out of the BJP, then Shiv Sena came out of Shiv Sena. NCP came out of NCP, they gave nine buttons to one voter... everyone got confused.”

The video, posted by Kamra on social media platform ‘X,’ quickly went viral, drawing sharp condemnation from Shinde's supporters. On Sunday night, a group of Shiv Sena workers stormed the ‘Unicontinental Hotel’, where the show was filmed, and vandalised the property. They smashed chairs, lights, and other fixtures, demanding legal action against Kamra for defamation and disrespect towards a senior political leader. Videos of the incident showed the chaos unfold, prompting swift police intervention.

Following the incident, the Mumbai police registered an FIR against Kamra, based on a complaint filed by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, who accused the comedian of making defamatory remarks. Patel demanded an apology within two days, threatening that failure to comply would result in Kamra being unable to “move freely in Mumbai,” warning of further retaliation, including blackening his face. A second FIR was lodged by Shiv Sena leader Rahul Kanal at Khar Police Station, accusing Kamra of being part of a “conspiracy to malign Shinde.” Meanwhile, a separate FIR was filed against approximately 40 Shiv Sena workers, including Kanal and 19 others, for vandalism under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and Maharashtra Police Act.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member and former union minister Milind Deora weighed in on the controversy, calling Kamra’s remarks “elitist and classist.” He stated, “Maharashtra is very proud that a man who started as an autorickshaw driver rose to become the CM of Maharashtra. Mocking Shinde ji, a self-made leader who rose from driving an auto to leading India’s second-largest state—reeks of classist arrogance.” Deora also criticised a section of the political ecosystem, saying, “India is rejecting entitled monarchs & their bootlicking ecosystem that pretends to champion meritocracy and democracy.”

The outrage from Shiv Sena leaders has only intensified. MP Naresh Mhaske accused Kamra of being a “hired comedian” working for political opponents, warning, “Let alone Maharashtra, Kunal Kamra cannot freely go anywhere in India; Shiv Sainiks will show him his place.” Senior leader Sanjay Nirupam escalated the rhetoric further, stating, “We will thrash Kunal Kamra tomorrow at 11 o’clock.”

In contrast, leaders from the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, led by Uddhav Thackeray, have expressed support for Kamra. MLA Aaditya Thackeray condemned the vandalism as an “act of cowardice” by “Mindhe’s gang” (a taunt using the Marathi word for subservient), asserting that Kamra’s song was “100 percent true.” Sanjay Raut, another UBT leader, praised Kamra’s satire, sharing the video with the caption “Kunal Ka Kamal” (Kunal’s Magic) and criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio, for his failure to maintain law and order.

Despite the mounting pressure, Kamra has shown no signs of retreating. On Sunday, he posted an image of himself holding a copy of the Indian Constitution on ‘X’, captioning it, “The only way forward…” This cryptic message has been interpreted by his supporters as a defiant stand for free expression, while critics see it as provocative. Kamra’s history of controversy includes his 2020 encounter with news anchor Arnab Goswami on a flight, where he filmed himself asking Goswami questions while the anchor remained silent. The video also went viral.

As tensions continue to rise, Habitat Studio, located within the vandalised hotel, announced its temporary closure, citing the “shocking and extremely disruptive” impact of the violence on their ability to provide a safe platform for artists. In a statement posted on its official Instagram handle, Habitat said, “We have decided to shut down until we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without jeopardising our safety or property.”