Actor Kangana Ranaut has spoken out regarding the controversy surrounding comedian Kunal Kamra, who recently faced backlash for his joke about Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde.
Addressing the matter, Kangana told ANI: “To dishonour anyone is not right… in the name of comedy you are disregarding someone’s work. Shinde ji used to drive rickshaw long ago and he has achieved so much on his own. What credentials he (Kunal Kamra) has? Who are they? In the name of comedy they abuse, make fun of our holy books, people. They call themselves influencers… we need to think where our society is going just for two minutes of fame.”
Kunal recently found himself at the centre of controversy after he seemingly mocked Shinde by reworking a song from the Bollywood film Dil Toh Pagal Hai, indirectly referring to him as a ‘traitor’ for his political realignment. His remarks were met with sharp criticism from members of Shiv Sena, with several leaders demanding an apology.
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned Kunal’s remarks, calling them a form of “low-level comedy” and asserting that while freedom of speech and satire are understood, certain boundaries should be respected. Shinde, who initially remained silent on the matter, later responded to the controversy by saying, “We understand satire, but there should be a limit.”
Taking a veiled swipe at his critics, Shinde likened Kunal’s joke to taking a supari (contract) to speak against individuals. He also pointed out that Kamra had previously made controversial remarks about prominent figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Supreme Court, journalists and influential industrialists. “This is not freedom of speech, this is working for someone,” Shinde remarked.
Notably, Shiv Sena workers had stormed the Habitat comedy club, which hosted Kunal’s show, and vandalised it. Several party leaders were also detained and arrested by Mumbai police for the damage caused to the venue.
The incident has reignited the ongoing debate on the boundaries of comedy and political satire in India, with opinions sharply divided over whether Kunal’s remarks fall within the realm of acceptable humour or cross the line into targeted defamation.
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