New Delhi, Mar 25: Disgracing anyone in the name of comedy is in bad taste, actor and MP Kangana Ranaut said on Tuesday as she weighed in on the ongoing controversy over comic Kunal Kamra’s remarks on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s political career.
Ranaut, a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, was speaking to reporters outside the Parliament here.
“You may be anyone but disrespecting anyone (is not good). You are disgracing someone in the name of comedy, you are disregarding what all he has done. Shinde ji used to drive an auto rickshaw a while ago.
“Today he has made it till here on his own. What are his (Kamra’s) credentials? Who are these people who haven’t done anything in life? If they can write, I’d say write literature or comedy scenes in films. Abusing in the name of comedy, mocking our scriptures in the name of comedy, making fun of people, mothers and sisters (is not right),” Ranaut said.
Kamra recently performed a parody of a popular Hindi song from the film “Dil Toh Pagal Hai,” apparently referring to Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor). He also made jokes about recent political developments in Maharashtra, including the Shiv Sena and NCP splits.
On Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis commented on the row, saying Kamra should apologise for his “low level comedy”.
Echoing Fadnavis’ remarks, Ranaut said: “These people call themselves influencers. Where is society headed for this 2-minute fame? We need to think about this. Like Fadnavis ji said we have to take some responsibility for what we say. There could be repercussions. Would you stand by that when you are questioned legally?”
On Sunday night, Shiv Sena members damaged Habitat Studio in Mumbai’s Khar area, where Kamra’s show took place, as well as a hotel in whose premises the club is located.
The actor also said it was wrong to compare the incident at the comedy club with the demolition of her Mumbai office by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) back in the 2020 incident following her spat with the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government.
“(Demolition of my office) was a completely illegal activity, this is absolutely legal. They can’t be clubbed together,” she added.
Later in the day, the actor engaged in a verbal spat with filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who has come out in support of Kamra.
The director, who worked with Ranaut on his 2017 film “Simran”, was questioned by a social media user for his “hypocrisy”, saying that he didn’t post anything in support of the actor when her property was demolished.
In his response, Mehta said, “Was her house vandalised. Did goons enter her premises? Did they do this to challenge her freedom of expression or for alleged FSI violations? Please enlighten me. Maybe I don’t know the facts.”
Soon, Ranaut quote-tweeted Mehta’s post, asking him to not comment on matters relating to her “ordeal”.
“They called me names like h********, threatened me, served a notice late in the night to my watchman and next morning before courts could open bulldozers demolished the entire house. High court called the demolition completely illegal. They laughed at it and raised a toast to my pain and public humiliation.
“It seems your insecurity and mediocrity has not only made you bitter and stupid but it had blinded you as well, it’s not some third class series or atrocious films that you make, don’t try to sell your dumb lies and agendas here in the matters related to my ordeals, stay out of it,” she said.
To this, Mehta replied, “Get well soon.” (PTI)
