Kunal Kamra Faces Backlash Over New Comedy Special, Laughs Along in Brutal Roast Show
Comedian Kunal Kamra, long known for his sharp political satire and boundary-pushing jokes, has once again found himself at the centre of controversy. His latest stand-up special has triggered outrage among certain political supporters, leading to vandalism at the venue where the special was filmed and multiple FIRs filed against the comic.
Kunal Kamra, who now splits his time between Himachal Pradesh and Puducherry, has previously been banned from flying by several airlines following a viral confrontation with TV anchor Arnab Goswami. Despite repeated controversies, Kamra remains unfazed, as evident in his recent appearance on Ashish Solanki’s Roast show on YouTube.
In the no-holds-barred roast format, Kamra became the subject of biting jabs from fellow comedians, many of whom joked about his ‘saviour complex’, political outbursts, and perceived fall from relevance. Kamra, however, was seen laughing heartily throughout the show, taking the hits in stride.
Solanki kicked off the roast by calling Kamra “manhoos,” referencing his guest appearance on the contentious India’s Got Latent, a show hosted by Samay Raina. The first roaster, Sumaira Shaikh, implied that Kamra drinks excessively, calling him “the first farmer who gives alcohol to his plants.” She added, “Saviour ban ke ghoomta hai, Muslim comics and female comics ka. Apne baal toh bacha nahi paaya,” in a sharp dig at his political activism and balding head.
Comedian Shashwat Maheshwari followed with politically charged humour: “I hope Modi ji loses, Kunal Kamra shuts up.” He continued, “Kamra sunta sabki hai lekin karta Congress ki hai,” poking fun at Kamra’s left-leaning views.
The biggest laugh of the night came from Onkar Yadav, who joked, “Kamra thinks Latent is Balraj’s show, kyunki Kashmiri Pandit toh isse dikhte nahi.” This was a veiled jab at the show’s venue and host Samay Raina’s cultural identity.
Daahab Chishti wrapped up the roast with a barrage of punchlines, including, “Kamra is my favourite comic because I lost my taste after Covid,” and “Kamra thinks spanking means lathi charge.”
Despite being constantly embroiled in controversy, Kunal Kamra’s willingness to be roasted shows his thick skin and continued relevance in India’s evolving comedy scene.