A comedian's joke about a local politician led to the destruction of a Mumbai comedy club.

 Supporters of the Shiv Sena party destroyed the Habitat comedy club following Kunal Kamra's satire of a senior government official.

One of India's most well-known comedians performed a sarcastic song against a local ruling politician at a comedy club in Mumbai, which was viciously looted by a mob and had its structure partially destroyed.

Kunal Kamra is known for his sharp humor, which frequently pokes fun at public leaders. Because of the potential for retaliation, few Indian comedians dare make political jokes.


A parody song about Eknath Shinde, the second-most influential person in the Maharashtra state government, was part of Kamra's stand-up routine, which was performed on Friday night at Mumbai's renowned Habitat comedy club.

The deputy chief minister changed his party affiliation in 2022 and assisted in overthrowing the previous state government, which is why the song called him a "gaddar," or traitor.

The leaders of Shinde's Shiv Sena party criticized the routine after seeing a video of it online. About 20 Shiv Sena members stormed Habitat on Sunday night and started pulling it down, hurling chairs, destroying posters, and smashing light fixtures.

Rahul Kanal, the head of the Shiv Sena's youth faction, is among the more than ten individuals the police have detained in connection with the event.

The administration, led by the Shiv Sena, attempted to attribute the violence to Kamra. In the state assembly on Monday, Maharastra's chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, asserted that stand-up comedy was acceptable but also noted that "freedom of expression has its own limitations." No one can be insulted.

Fadnavis declared, "There is no need to spare them." "We will teach them a lesson and we will not tolerate this."

The government will examine Kamra's phone records and bank account movements to determine whether there was a "mastermind" or political conspiracy behind his remarks, according to state home minister Yogesh Kadam, who also stated that the police were attempting to track him down.

Kamra was the target of police cases brought by the Shiv Sena for public mischief and defamation.

Kamra stated in a statement on Monday night that he would not issue an apology and that "as far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system."

Additionally, ministers declared the Habitat comedy club to be "illegal." Arriving at the location on Monday, a demolition crew from the local municipal council started tearing down a portion of the structure on the grounds that it had been built illegally.

"Shocked, worried, and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us," the venue stated in a statement on Monday. We have never had any involvement with any artist's performance.

The venue claimed it was shutting down until “we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy”.

Following the establishment of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party, which has ruled for more than ten years, comedians and comedy venues have found themselves increasingly targeted by India's dwindling space for freedom of speech. Together with the BJP, the Shiv Sena controls the state government of Maharashtra.

Despite never having performed at the performance, a Muslim comedian was arrested by police for weeks in 2021 for allegedly making "vulgar" remarks that were offensive to Hindu deities. Following a humorous speech that touched on politically delicate subjects that same year, comedian Vir Das was the target of criticism and police reports.

Maharashtra's opposition lawmakers denounced the violence and reprisals against Kamra. Aaditya Thackeray, a former political supporter of Shinde, claimed that "only an insecure coward" would respond to a comedic song in such a manner.