Amid a huge controversy over stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s comments about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Mumbai’s Habitat studio where Kamra’s show was shot has decided to shut down. This comes after workers from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) damaged the studio in response to Kamra’s remarks. They also filed a police report (FIR) against him.
In a social media post, the studio expressed feeling “shocked, worried, and extremely broken” by the recent vandalism that they said was “targeting” them.
The post stated that artists are solely responsible for their views and creative decisions. The studio highlighted that they have never been involved in the content created by any artist, but recent events have led them to reconsider their role, as they feel unfairly blamed and targeted, almost as if they are “proxy for the performer”.
The studio announced it will be shutting down till the time they find out the best way to provide a platform that supports free expression without putting their property or safety at risk. They encouraged artists, audiences, and stakeholders to share their thoughts and offer guidance on how they can respect both the performers’ rights and the studio’s role.
Kamra, taking a dig at Shinde, said, “Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye.” It was a way of mocking Eknath Shinde by using the version of a song from the film ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hai’. Kunal Kamra referenced Eknath Shinde’s 2022 revolt, which caused the Shiv Sena to split into two factions: one led by Shinde and the other by Uddhav Thackeray.