Kunal Kamra Accuses T-Series Of Copyright Censorship Over Stand-Up Special ‘Naya Bharat’

Comedian Kunal Kamra has accused Bollywood studio T-Series of unfairly flagging his stand-up special Naya Bharat for copyright violations on YouTube, following his parody of the song Hawa Hawai from the classic film Mr India. The special, which has sparked controversy for its satirical take on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was partially blocked on the platform, preventing it from generating revenue.

On Wednesday, Kamra released a new clip from the special featuring a parody of Hawa Hawai to critique Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s economic policies. The rights to the film’s soundtrack, which originally starred Anil Kapoor and the late Sridevi, are owned by T-Series.

Sharing a screenshot on X (formerly Twitter), Kamra revealed that Naya Bharat had been restricted due to copyright claims. The comedian condemned T-Series for what he called an attack on creative expression, stating, “Hello @TSeries, stop being a stooge. Parody and satire come under fair use legally. I haven’t used the lyrics or the original instrumental of the song. If you take this video down, every cover song or dance video can be taken down. Creators, please take note.”

In response, T-Series defended its decision, asserting that Kamra had not obtained the necessary authorization for using the song’s underlying composition. “Mr. Kunal Kamra has not taken any authorisation or approval for the usage of the underlying musical work in the song, hence the content has been blocked for infringement of composition rights,” said a spokesperson for the music label.

Despite the restrictions, Naya Bharat has gained significant traction, amassing over 6.7 million views on YouTube. The special also comments on recent political developments in Maharashtra, including the splits within Shiv Sena and NCP.

Meanwhile, Kamra’s criticism of political figures has led to backlash. On Sunday night, Shiv Sena members vandalized the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where Kamra had performed, as well as a hotel within the same premises.

Despite the controversy, Kamra remains defiant. “Every monopoly in India is nothing short of a mafia, so please watch/download this special before it’s taken down,” he said. He also made it clear that he will not apologize for his remarks in Naya Bharat.