BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has weighed in on the controversy surrounding comedian Kunal Kamra’s parody video, where the comedian took a swipe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. While Kamra did not name him explicitly, he tagged Shinde as a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) and dropped several hints, including references to Thane and a political leader who “hides in Guwahati”.

Kangana accused Kamra of “abusing Indian people and culture” for fleeting attention. She also drew a comparison between the recent BMC action at The Habitat, the venue where Kamra recorded his act, and the demolition of her own house by BMC, calling the former legal and the latter illegal.

“…We should think where society is heading when someone does this only for 2 minutes of fame,” Kangana Ranaut told reporters. 

She further questioned the credibility of those who engage in such parodies, adding, “You might be anyone, but insulting and defaming someone. A person for whom his/her respect is everything, and you insult and disregard them. Who are these people, and what are their credentials? If they can write, they should do so in literature.”

“Abusing people and our culture in the name of comedy…This has been done legally, but what had been done (demolishing of her bungalow) to me was illegally done,” she further added.

Kamra’s old video on Kangana

Kunal Kamra hosted Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on his talk show, Shut Up Ya Kunal, where he expressed support for the demolition of Kangana Ranaut’s house. The set featured several toy bulldozers placed on the table.

In 2020, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a 24-hour notice to Kangana Ranaut, demanding a response regarding alleged illegal alterations and construction in her residence. The notice listed unauthorised modifications, including a toilet, kitchen, and pantry on the ground floor, room on the first floor built with a wooden partition, and the conversion of a second-floor balcony into a habitable space. The BMC also claimed that the house had been converted into an office.

Kunal Kamra on Eknath Shinde

“What they did in the Maharashtra elections…. Shiv Sena left BJP, then Shiv Sena left Shiv Sena. NCP left NCP. They gave one voter nine buttons. Everyone got confused. One clever man did this. He comes from a very prominent district in Mumbai – Thane,” Kamra said during the show. 

He then went on to sing the parody of the song: “Thane ki rickshaw, chehre pe daadhi, ankhon pe chashma, haye! Thane ki rickshaw, chehre pe daadhi, ankhon pe chashma, haye! Ek jhalak dikhlaye kabhi Guwahati mein chup jaaye. Meri nazar se tum dekho, gaddar nazar wo aye. Thane ki rickshaw, chehre pe daadhi, ankhon pe chashma, haye!”

“Mantri nahi wo dalbadlu hai, aur kaha kya jaye? Jis thali me khaaye, usme hi wo ched kar jaye. Mantralay se zyada, Fadnavis ki godi me mil jaye. Teer kaman mila hai isko, baap mera yeh chahe. Thane ki rickshaw, chehre pe daadhi, ankhon pe chashma, haye!” he added.  

The song was met with laughter from the audience but not from Sena workers. They first stormed the venue, vandalised it before heading to Khare Police Station to file a complaint. An FIR has been filed against Kamra and Sena workers who vandalised the venue.