Hansal Mehta supports Kunal Kamra, recalls being assaulted by Shiv Sena workers himself: 'They blackened my face'

Hansal Mehta shared that the incident over Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar “didn’t just bruise my body” but also hurt his spirit. He added it blunted his filmmaking.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta recalled his own ordeal over two decades ago as he extended his support to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra amid a row. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Hansal condemned the vandalism of the venue in Mumbai where Kunal had performed his show. The controversy erupted after Kunal allegedly passed disparaging remarks on the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his latest standup act. (Also Read | 'Will not hide under my bed': Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise for Eknath Shinde jibe, slams mob that vandalised Habitat)

Hansal Mehta talks about Kunal Kamra amid ongoing row.

Hansal Mehta on what he had to face after Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar release

Hansal shared how he was assaulted and forced to apologise after the release of his 2000 film Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar. He recalled his office was vandalised by the political party Shiva Sena (then undivided), and he had to face all these over a line in the film.

Hansal supports Kunal Kamra

He said, "What happened with Kamra is, sadly, not new to Maharashtra. I’ve lived through it myself. Twenty-five years ago, loyalists of the same (then undivided) political party stormed into my office. They vandalised it, physically assaulted me, blackened my face, and forced me to apologise publicly—by falling at the feet of an elderly woman—for a single line of dialogue in my film."

Hansal says his spirit was hurt

The filmmaker recalled he had to face the humiliation while the Mumbai police watched everything in silence. "The line was harmless, almost trivial. The film had already been cleared by the Censor Board with 27 other cuts. But that didn’t matter. At the so-called 'apology' venue, at least 20 political figures arrived in full strength to oversee what can only be described as a public shaming—with 10,000 onlookers and the Mumbai Police watching in silence," he said.

Hansal talks about humiliation

Hansal said the incident hurt him tremendously and added that whatever the situation, "humiliation can never be justified". “That incident didn’t just bruise my body. It bruised my spirit. It blunted my filmmaking, muted my courage, and silenced parts of me that took years to reclaim,” he wrote.

"No matter how deep the disagreement, no matter how sharp the provocation—violence, intimidation, and humiliation can never be justified. We owe ourselves, and each other, better. We owe ourselves dialogue, dissent, and dignity," concluded his note.

What did Kunal Kamra say

Kunal has released a statement on his official social media handle that he would not "apologise" for his act. He stated that the entertainment venue is merely a platform and is not "responsible" for his comedy. The Shiv Sena workers vandalised The Habitat centre in Mumbai after his remarks about Eknath Shinde on Sunday.