It’s slightly unusual (or maybe it isn’t) for a comedy routine, but I did feel scared for Kunal Kamra while watching his latest comedy routine – called ‘Naya Bharat’ on YouTube. “Did he just say that? Are we allowed to use that word…with respect to that man?” – I remember thinking to myself more than once during the 45-minute video.
Satire has pretty much evaporated from the performance ecosystem, unless being prefaced with an upcoming FIR while making off-handed remarks during podcasts, interviews – which would usually draw some nervous laughter.
Except for a handful of famous people, most (including and especially Kamra’s colleagues in comedy) have toed the line with the powers that be, practising their liberal values within the confines of their living room, or very cautiously on Instagram.
And it’s understandable to an extent, because the predictable circus that ensues is simply not worth it. There are murmurs of Kamra’s imminent arrest, after he refused to apologise, and agreed to cooperate with law enforcement officials. We should also not forget the legal fees, the logistical hurdles of having to appear in courts far away from your city of residence for weeks, months after the issue has been forgotten.
There’s also the financial impact where brands want to distance themselves from you (a significant chunk of a comedian’s income who isn’t touring), and just the overall abuse and isolation that a performer has to face for one cheeky remark. In a statement, Kamra asks: will the law be fairly and equally deployed against those who thought vandalising a venue was an appropriate response to a joke?
It’s probably no surprise that some of the most-watched comedians in India have evolved into ‘storytellers’, regurgitating the same anecdotes about their lives, instead of reflecting on the times we’re living in. And it might be justifiable too, given that there’s just no winning against a barbaric, merciless and vindictive establishment. Not only does it enforce a chilling effect among critics, but it’s also a great distraction for the TRP-hungry primetime channels.
Kamra was surely aware of the consequences once he would kick the hornet’s nest with his latest video, and still went ahead with it. Accompanied by a musician friend, Kamra sings a series of catchy parody songs – where he rhymes khokhla (empty) with dhokla (a popular Gujarati snack).
It’s most things we’ve come to expect from a Kunal Kamra set: sardonic observations on the state’s trigger-happy online outrage factory, the murmurs around the state elections in Maharashtra, to the Ambani wedding and our honourable prime minister and home minister.
It’s not surprising that Eknath Shinde’s supporters have taken offence to Kamra’s language, even though he didn’t name the Deputy CM explicitly. Kamra didn’t make an effort to be subtle, and if we’re being fair – does he have to be? After all, primetime anchors have been fanning communal hatred using half-truths for a decade now, the establishment has jailed opposition leaders on fabricated cases, the election commission has overlooked the ruling party’s repeated transgressions in one election after the other.
Why shouldn’t an aware, clued-in citizen not be completely infuriated with the state of affairs? In a functional democracy, how much can you kick around a citizen till they refuse to take it anymore.
Also Read: The Kunal Kamra Row Is Just One Episode of the Unending Soap Opera in Maharashtra
It’s something that begins to explain Kamra’s strained delivery in some portions of his video – like a performer, aware of the circus that is about to play out once the show goes live, and still choosing to go ahead and do it.
Working through the fear, for something bigger. Maybe for someone like Kamra, the consequences of being a spectator far outweigh the inconvenience of a vengeful state machinery at his doorstep. For someone like Kamra, this is maybe where he draws a line and says: Enough!
And now, the responsibility lies on the rest of us to not make a martyr out of him. Thirty-seven year-old Kamra is now at the receiving end of threats from senior members of the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde and the government, the police are after him, after the Sena members ransacked the venue where Kamra performed over a month ago.
The leader of the mob who inflicted this damage, Rahool Kanal along with 11 of his accomplices was arrested by the Mumbai police. But he unsurprisingly got his bail fast enough to appear on Rajdeep Sardesai’s primetime show to defend his actions on the same day.
Kunal Kamra made his choice, and now it’s our turn to stand alongside him
We might be at a crucial juncture in standing up for the rights guaranteed to us by the constitution. Kamra has tested its possibilities by filing a petition against the 2023 amendment of the IT Rules, which proposed ‘fact-checking units’ belonging to the Govt of India, to flag ‘fake news’ and ‘misinformation’ – which would infringe upon press freedom and a citizen’s right to freedom of expression. Thanks to Kamra’s petition, the amendment was struck down by the Bombay HC.
Kunal Kamra made his choice, and now it’s our turn to stand alongside him. We’ll have to do better than trending #IStandWithKunalKamra for a few days. It’s the duty of the opposition leaders to stand up for him, protect him from the billionaires and politicians he has irked – even if for their own interest.
Businesses have to ensure that Kamra doesn’t become a pariah, Kamra’s fans have to be vocal and constantly remind him that he’s not alone in this fight. This is hardly a time to be a fence-sitter, no amount of nuance can change the fact that a comedian is being physically threatened for saying things.
It doesn’t matter whether you like Kunal Kamra’s jokes or not, one has to see the bigger picture for what it means for the future of comedy in India. One side definitely outnumbers the other – but for that to happen, everyone needs to turn up. Whether they do, remains to be seen.
We can’t afford to act like zombies for much longer; Kamra’s initiative deserves more.
