Kunal Kamra slams T-Series over copyright strike on 'Gaddar' parody Video targeting deputy CM Eknath Shinde

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra's show Naya Bharat, filmed at Habitat Studio in Mumbai, has sparked a major controversy over his jokes about Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. Amid the ongoing backlash, on Wednesday, March 26, Kunal Kamra released a parody of Hawa Hawai from the 1987 film Mr. India.

New day, new controversy: Kunal Kamra vs T-Series

However, music giant T-Series, which owns the rights to the song, issued a copyright strike on Kamra's YouTube video.

In response, an agitated Kunal Kamra slammed the company.

Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Kunal Kamra addressed T-Series, stating that he did not use the lyrics or the original instrumentation of the song. He also shared a screenshot showing that his parody act had been flagged by YouTube for a copyright violation. 

He wrote, "Hello @TSeries, stop being a stooge. Parody & satire comes under fair use Legally. I haven't used the lyrics or the original instrumental of the song. If you take this video down, every cover song/dance video can be taken down. Creators, please take a note of it. Having said that, every monopoly in India is nothing short of the Mafia, so please watch/download this special before it's taken down. FYI—T-Series I stay in Tamil Nadu."

Meanwhile, Kunal Kamra has been receiving multiple threats for calling Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde a 'gaddar' (traitor).

During a recent stand-up comedy show, Kamra performed a parody of Bholi Si Surat from the film Dil Toh Pagal Hai, along with songs from other films—some of which have music rights owned by T-Series. In his act, he mocked Shinde and sang, "Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye!"—a reference to Shinde's 2022 rebellion against the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government.

After the clip went viral on social media, Shiv Sena threatened legal action, and some of its workers vandalized the venue where the show was recorded. Twelve party members were arrested but were later released on bail on Monday.

Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise

Following the incident, Kunal Kamra released a lengthy statement on X (formerly Twitter), "I don't fear this mob, & I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down."

Condemning the vandalism, he added, "Attacking a venue for a comedian's words is as senseless as overturning a lorry carrying tomatoes because you didn't like the butter chicken you were served."

Kamra refused to apologize for his remarks, saying, "I will not apologize. What I said is exactly what Ajit Pawar (Maharashtra Deputy CM) said about Eknath Shinde."

Speaking about freedom of speech, he asserted, "Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not just for fawning over the powerful and rich, even though today's media would have us believe otherwise. Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of my right. 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."