‘I am deeply sorry’: Comedian Kunal Kamra apologises to banker who attended his Naya Bharat show, offers free vacation

A 46-year-old banker from Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, had to cut short his 17-day trip to Kerala and Tamil Nadu after getting repeated calls from police and a legal notice. It happened after stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s defamation case.

Now, Kunal Kamra has reacted to the incident and offered the banker a free holiday.

“I am deeply sorry for the inconvenience that attending my show has caused to you. Please email me so that I can schedule your next vacation anywhere you’d like in India,” Kunal Kamra wrote on Twitter (now X).

The banker, who attended Kamra’s February 2 show at Mumbai’s Habitat studio, received a notice on March 29 from Khar police asking him to give a witness statement under Section 179 of the CrPC.

The banker claimed he showed police his ticket as proof but was still told he might have edited the video, which he denied. He was forced to return early from his holiday after being told officers might visit his home.

“I had left Mumbai on March 21 for the trip and was supposed to return on April 6. But, I returned midway after repeated calls from the police while I was in Tamil Nadu,” The Times of India quoted him as saying.

“The officer who called me was sceptical about my out-of-town status and threatened to visit my Kharghar residence. This prompted me to cut short my trip and return early," he added.

Kunal Kamra controversy

The case began after Kunal Kamra’s Naya Bharat video, uploaded on March 24, allegedly mocked Maharashtra’s Deputy CM Eknath Shinde by calling him a “gaddar” (traitor).

This led to 12 Shiv Sena members vandalising the Habitat venue. The Sena also filed an FIR against Kamra. Police are now questioning people who attended the show, including the cameraperson and venue staff.

Kunal Kamra earlier shared a post on “How to Kill an Artist: A Step-by-Step Guide”. In the post, the comedian explains how targetted outrage can silence artists.

According to him, he describes how online trolling often grows into a political strategy that causes brands to back off, gigs to dry up and venues to shut doors. It gradually cuts off an artist’s voice and opportunities, as per his post.