From ‘Gaddar’ remark to ‘heckling’ journalist on flight, Kunal Kamra’s long list of controversies

Who is Kunal Kamra?

Born and raised in Mumbai, Kamra began his career in stand-up comedy and gained prominence with Shut Up Ya Kunal, a YouTube show featuring discussions with political figures and activists. His performances often include commentary on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to multiple legal and public disputes.

Here are some of the major controversies he has been embroiled in:

📌 Salman Khan Defamation Threat (2025)
Kamra joked about Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s past legal cases, including the 1998 blackbuck poaching case and the 2002 hit-and-run case. Reports suggested Khan was considering filing a defamation lawsuit. Kamra refused to apologise.

📌 Challenge to India’s IT Rules (2023)
Kamra filed a legal challenge against the Indian government’s IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2023, which allowed a government-appointed body to label content as “fake” or “misleading.” The Bombay High Court ruled parts of the provision unconstitutional.

📌 Gurugram Show Cancellation (2022)
Kamra’s stand-up show in Gurugram was cancelled following objections from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. Kamra responded by challenging the VHP to publicly denounce Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin. He also denied having insulted Hinduism, saying that his criticism was directed at political entities.

📌 Edited Video of Child Singing for Modi (2022)
In 2022, Kamra shared an edited video of a seven-year-old singing for Prime Minister Modi during a visit to Germany, replacing the song with Mehengayi Daayan from the film Peepli Live. The child’s father objected, and India’s child rights commission requested its removal. Kamra deleted the video but maintained that his intent was to criticise economic policies, not the child.

📌 Objectionable Gesture for Chief Justice (2020)
Kamra posted an image of himself showing an an objectionable gesture alongside then-Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, criticising the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to Arnab Goswami. Attorney General KK Venugopal approved contempt proceedings against Kamra for the post.

📌 ‘Brahmin-Baniya’ Remark on the Supreme Court (2020)
During a performance, Kamra described the Supreme Court as a “Brahmin-Baniya affair,” which led to contempt proceedings. Petitioners argued that the remarks were derogatory towards the judiciary, while Kamra defended them as satire.

📌 Arnab Goswami Mid-Air Confrontation (2020)
In January 2020, Kamra confronted journalist Arnab Goswami on an IndiGo flight, questioning his journalism. He posted a video of the encounter online, in which Goswami did not respond. The airline imposed a six-month flight ban on Kamra, which other airlines, including Air India, SpiceJet, and GoAir, also enforced. The ban was later reduced to three months.