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Mumbai comedy club, which hosted Kunal Kamra and Samay Raina, is shutting down
Kunal Kamra's standup 'Naya Bharat' faced backlash from Shiv Sena workers, branding him a 'traitor' for comments on Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
Comedian Kunal Kamra's recent standup act 'Naya Bharat' has stirred a row with Shiv Sena workers calling him a 'traitor' for allegedly referring to Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde in his act. Soon after the video of the act went viral on social media, Sena workers vandalised the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar area where the comedian had performed.
The venue had hit the headlines earlier this year too when podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia made crass remarks during the shooting of the show 'India's Got Latent'. The row erupted after Allahbadia's comments about 'parents' sex' sparked outrage, leading to police action in some regions. Multiple complaints were filed against Allahbadia, Samay Raina, and others involved in the show.
After being ransacked by Sena workers, the Habitat issued a statement on Monday claiming that they support creative dialogue and just provide artists a space to perform.
"We urge constructive conversations, not destruction, to address disagreements. We do not support hate or harm of any kind. Violence and destruction undermine the very spirit of art and dialogue," the Habitat said in a post on their Instagram page.
As per a police official cited by news agency PTI, Shiv Sena workers arrived at the hotel’s auditorium after Kamra’s jibe against Shinde went viral on social media.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also shared the video on X, captioning it “Kunal Ka Kamal.”
The Habitat ‘shutting down’
The Habitat in its statement said it was shocked by the acts of vandalism.
"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," the comedy club 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," it added.
What did Kunal Kamra say?
Kunal Kamra took a swipe at politics in Maharashtra and the election there, referring to the breakaway factions of Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), adding that “one guy” started the trend and using the term ‘gaddar’ (traitor) in describing the person.
Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel lodged a police complaint against the comedian. In the nearly 2-minute video, Kamra also mocked the ruling NCP and Shiv Sena, a Mumbai police official said, adding an investigation was underway.
The Habitat, in its statement, also said that it was not involved in the making of Kunal Kamra's act 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.
The video of Kamra's jibe at Shinde was also posted on X by rival Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut by saying “Kunal Ka Kamal”. Kamra taunted Shinde using a modified version of a Hindi song from the film “Dil To Pagal Hai”, eliciting laughter from the audience. Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Sunday warned Kamra that he would be chased by the party workers throughout the country. “You will be forced to flee India,” he said in a video message.
Calling Kamra a “contract comedian”, Mhaske said he should not have stepped on the “tail of a snake (apparently referring to Shinde)”. “Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences,” he warned.
The MP from Thane also alleged that the comedian had accepted money from Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and was targeting Shinde.
Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel said he would show "Kamra his level" and asked him to apologise.
Sena (UBT) legislator Aaditya Thackeray, however, slammed the vandalism at the show venue, calling it a "cowardly" act.
In a post on X late Sunday night, Thackeray said, “Mindhe’s coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on eknath mindhe, which was 100 per cent true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone.” “By the way, law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Eknath Mindhe,” he said.
