Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra criticized Bollywood production house T-Series on Wednesday, claiming that his comedy special Naya Bharat was flagged for copyright violations on YouTube. The special, which has stirred controversy due to jokes about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has been restricted from generating revenue due to copyright claims.

Kamra took to social media platform X to share a screenshot from YouTube, showing that the video, uploaded on March 23, was blocked under copyright regulations.

Addressing T-Series, he wrote, "Stop acting as a puppet. Parody and satire legally fall under fair use. I haven’t used the original lyrics or instrumental of the song. If this video is taken down, then every cover song and dance video should also be removed. Creators, take note."

He further remarked, "Every monopoly in India operates like a mafia. Watch or download the special before it's removed. By the way, T-Series, I reside in Tamil Nadu."

Kamra’s special, which has already amassed over 7.6 million views and nearly 600,000 likes, features a parody of Hawa Hawai from the 1987 film Mr India, as a critique of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The music rights to Mr India, starring Anil Kapoor and the late Sridevi, are owned by T-Series.

In response, a spokesperson from T-Series, as quoted by PTI, stated, "Kunal Kamra did not seek any authorization or approval for using the underlying musical composition in his performance. Therefore, the content has been blocked for violating composition rights."

Controversy Over Kamra’s Eknath Shinde Parody

Kamra also drew criticism for a satirical take on the song Bholi Si Surat from the 1997 film Dil To Pagal Hai, performed during a show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai. While he did not mention Eknath Shinde by name, the parody contained the word gaddar (traitor), which many interpreted as a reference to Shinde’s 2022 defection from the Shiv Sena to align with the BJP, leading to the fall of Uddhav Thackeray’s government.

Following the video’s release, Shiv Sena supporters vandalized the Habitat Comedy Club, prompting police action. Authorities arrested 12 individuals linked to the incident, though they were later granted bail.

A case has also been filed against Kamra, who stated that he is currently in Tamil Nadu. The Mumbai Police, leading the investigation, had summoned him on Tuesday. However, Kamra requested a week’s extension, which was denied. A fresh summons was issued on Wednesday.

Eknath Shinde has alleged that Kamra’s parody was not independent satire but a deliberate attempt to target him as part of a “supari” (contract). Kamra, meanwhile, has refused to apologize, asserting that he is willing to cooperate with legal proceedings.