Kunal Kamra is no stranger to controversy, and his latest comedy set has once again sparked a debate. This time, his target was industrialist Anand Mahindra and Indian companies. A clip from his performance is making the rounds on social media, causing quite a stir.
In the viral clip, Kamra joked about Mahindra's frequent social media posts, saying, “Anand Mahindra tweets about everything, thermodynamics, marine biology, radioactivity, except how to improve his own cars.”
Kamra didn’t stop there. He referred to a time when Mahindra shared a video of children playing on a double-decker bus during Mumbai floods. Instead of questioning the safety measures, Mahindra captioned it with, “When life gives you lemons.” Kamra called this an example of “misplaced optimism.”
He hinted that his jokes often lead to unintended consequences, suggesting a history of backlash.
Earlier this week, Mumbai Police filed an FIR against comedian Kunal Kamra for allegedly making defamatory comments about Eknath Shinde during a show. Kamra called Shinde a "traitor" and sang a parody song about his 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray.
Shiv Sena members were quick to react. On Sunday night, they vandalised the Habitat Studio in Khar, where Kamra's show was filmed, as well as a hotel located in the same building. Amid the chaos, a Shiv Sena functionary lodged a complaint at Dombivli police station, leading to an FIR under Section 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Despite the backlash, Kamra stood firm, stating on X (formerly Twitter), "I will not apologise," and criticising both the "mob and politicians" who took offence to his jokes.
Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in the state Assembly, said the government wouldn't tolerate the misuse of freedom of expression if it led to "oppressive behaviour."
Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde defended the right to express oneself but warned against its misuse. He also suggested that Kamra's remarks seemed like part of a "well-thought-out conspiracy" and hinted that there could be someone behind Kamra's actions.
"I don't support the vandalism, but it happened because of the emotions of the party workers," Shinde said. "This isn't the first time Kamra has made such comments, many airlines have banned him too."
Inputs from agencies
In the viral clip, Kamra joked about Mahindra's frequent social media posts, saying, “Anand Mahindra tweets about everything, thermodynamics, marine biology, radioactivity, except how to improve his own cars.”
Kamra didn’t stop there. He referred to a time when Mahindra shared a video of children playing on a double-decker bus during Mumbai floods. Instead of questioning the safety measures, Mahindra captioned it with, “When life gives you lemons.” Kamra called this an example of “misplaced optimism.”
He hinted that his jokes often lead to unintended consequences, suggesting a history of backlash.
Mixed reactions on social media
Kamra’s comments have divided opinions on X (formerly Twitter). Some users found his jokes disrespectful, accusing him of unnecessary personal attacks. Meanwhile, Mahindra’s supporters praised the industrialist's contributions to India’s business landscape. However, a few agreed with Kamra, saying Indian businesses need to focus more on genuine innovation.
The controversy
Earlier this week, Mumbai Police filed an FIR against comedian Kunal Kamra for allegedly making defamatory comments about Eknath Shinde during a show. Kamra called Shinde a "traitor" and sang a parody song about his 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray.Shiv Sena members were quick to react. On Sunday night, they vandalised the Habitat Studio in Khar, where Kamra's show was filmed, as well as a hotel located in the same building. Amid the chaos, a Shiv Sena functionary lodged a complaint at Dombivli police station, leading to an FIR under Section 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Despite the backlash, Kamra stood firm, stating on X (formerly Twitter), "I will not apologise," and criticising both the "mob and politicians" who took offence to his jokes.
Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in the state Assembly, said the government wouldn't tolerate the misuse of freedom of expression if it led to "oppressive behaviour."
Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde defended the right to express oneself but warned against its misuse. He also suggested that Kamra's remarks seemed like part of a "well-thought-out conspiracy" and hinted that there could be someone behind Kamra's actions.
"I don't support the vandalism, but it happened because of the emotions of the party workers," Shinde said. "This isn't the first time Kamra has made such comments, many airlines have banned him too."
Inputs from agencies
