Hotel vandalised, police complaint filed: Why Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is fuming at comedian Kunal Kamra

A joke has turned out to be no laughing matter as Shiv Sena ransacked a hotel in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, where stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra shot his show in which he mocked Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction has also filed FIRs against the comedian, demanding swift action against him. Moreover, they warned him of dire consequences, with one Sena leader even saying, “Let alone Maharashtra, Kunal Kamra cannot freely go anywhere in India, Shiv Sainiks will show him his place.”

What exactly happened? What did Kunal Kamra say that incited the Shiv Sena? Why did the Shiv Sainiks vandalise the Mumbai hotel? We get you the full story.

What Kunal Kamra said

Popular stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra found himself in the firing line over the weekend when he was shooting his new show titled Naya Bharat in which he was discussing contemporary politics. Kamra, as many would remember, is no stranger to controversy; in 2020, he butt heads with news anchor Arnab Goswami while travelling on an IndiGo flight. His actions led him to be banned by the airline for six months. In the same year, he also criticised the Supreme Court in a series of fiery tweets which landed him in legal soup over contempt of court.

This time, Kamra took aim at the situation of Maharashtra politics, namely at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his breakaway from the Shiv Sena. He referred to Shinde as a “traitor” (gaddar) without actually naming him.

He made the remark while performing a modified version of a Hindi song from the movie Dil to Pagal Hain. Kamra remarked, “Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye,” referencing the 2022 rebellion, which led to the split of Shiv Sena into the Shinde faction and the Uddhav Thackeray faction.

Maharashtra ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/FYaL8tnT1R

— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) March 23, 2025

Editor’s Picks

1

From locking horns with VHP to heckling Arnab Goswami, comedian Kunal Kamra's 'not-so-funny' moments 2

No laughing matter: When comedians faced legal trouble for being funny

How Eknath Shinde’s followers reacted

Parts of Kamra’s show, which were released online, sparked outrage among supporters of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, leading to protests and legal action against the comedian.

Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MLA Murji Patel reached a police station in Mumbai’s suburbs to file an FIR against the comedian. Murji Patel said, “We have filed an FIR against Kunal Kamra for his comments against our leader and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. We have demanded quick action against him.”

Patel further demanded that Kamra should apologise to Shinde within two days, failing which, “The Shiv Sainiks will not let him move freely in Mumbai. If he is seen anywhere in public, we will paint his face black. We will take up this issue in the assembly and request our state’s home minister to order action against him as soon as possible,” he said.

#WATCH | Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MLA Murji Patel lodged an FIR at MIDC police station against comedian Kunal Kamra for his remarks on Maharashtra DCM Eknath Shinde.

Murji Patel says, "We have filed an FIR against Kunal Kamra for his comments against our leader… pic.twitter.com/qLXb9bWkUU

— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2025

While Patel filed an FIR against Kamra, other Shiv Sena members and workers staged protests against the comedian, with some even reaching The Unicontinental Mumbai — the hotel where Kamra had shot his show. Videos shared on social media showed the Sena members vandalising the studio — smashing chairs, tables and lights to express their anger against Kamra’s remarks.

Please give me one reason why a well-educated person would want to live in this country.#kunalkamra pic.twitter.com/TiestMfxmf

— Travis Kutty (@TravisKutty) March 23, 2025

However, it didn’t stop there; many Shinde supporters came out on the streets of Mumbai burning Kamra’s photos. Naresh Mhaske, a Lok Sabha MP from Shinde’s Sena even alleged that Kamra had accepted money from Uddhav Thackeray to malign the deputy chief minister.

“Kamra is a contract comedian. But he should not have stepped on the tail of a snake. Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences,” he said, adding: “We will make sure you cannot move freely throughout the country. We are Shiv Sainiks of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. If we start following you, you will have to leave the country.”

Sena social media in-charge, Rahul Kanal, also demanded swift police action against Kamra, stating in a letter that this was an “intentional effort to defame Shinde”. “I have reason to believe that the act committed by Mr. Kunal Kamra was pre-planned and executed in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy with Mr. Aaditya Thackeray, Mr. Rahul Gandhi, and Mr. Sanjay Raut. This conspiracy appears to be part of a systematic paid campaign aimed at maligning the reputation, image, and goodwill of Shri Eknath Shinde, a respected public figure and constitutional officeholder,” Kanal wrote in the letter.

@RahoolNKanal ji has submitted letter at m Khar Police Station to book FIR against Kunal Kamra for his cheap comedy to malign the image & reputation of @mieknathshinde Saheb (Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra) !!! pic.twitter.com/kNyhN8a70x

— Shivsena & Yuvasena (Bandra West Assembly) (@yuvasenabandraw) March 23, 2025

“The coordinated nature of the attack, the timing of the event in Maharashtra (a politically sensitive region), the involvement of political figures known to oppose Shri Eknath Shinde’s party, and the endorsement by Sanjay Raut suggest a deliberate and orchestrated effort to defame him,” he added.

What reactions have come after the Kamra row

As of now, Kamra, the man at the centre of this all, has remained quiet, choosing not to comment on the situation. He only posted an image of himself holding a copy of the Constitution on X, captioning it as “the only way forward…”

The only way forward… pic.twitter.com/nfVFZz7MtY

— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) March 23, 2025

However, the vandalism and the FIR against Kamra have elicited reactions from members of the opposition in the state.

Aaditya Thackeray of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena referencing the violence wrote on X, “Mindhe’s coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on Eknath Mindhe which was 100% true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone. Btw law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by eknath mindhe.”

The young Thackeray often refers to the Maharashtra deputy CM as ‘Mindhe’ (subservient) to taunt him.

Priyanka Chaturvedi, another member of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena also remarked on the situation, saying, “Dear Kunal, stand strong. The man and the gang you exposed will go after you. I will defend to death your right to speak your mind.”

With inputs from agencies