T-Series takes down Kunal Kamra’s video over copyright, comedian warns of ‘dangerous precedent’

Comedian Kunal Kamra’s latest stand-up video has been hit with a copyright strike on YouTube, with the comedian blaming music giant T-Series for taking down his content. The 45-minute video, uploaded on March 23, had already stirred controversy over Kamra’s alleged "derogatory remarks" against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. With the video now blocked due to the copyright claim, Kamra has raised concerns about the broader impact on content creators.

In a fiery social media post, Kamra defended his work, arguing that parody and satire fall under fair use and should not be censored. "Hello @TSeries, stop being a stooge. Parody & Satire come under fair use legally. I haven’t used the lyrics or the original instrumental of the song," Kamra posted on X. He further warned that if such copyright claims become a norm, it could threaten all forms of creative content. "If you take this video down, every cover song/dance video can be taken down. Creators, please take a note of it," he wrote.

The video, which included satirical performances featuring modified lyrics from popular Bollywood songs, particularly from Dil Toh Pagal Hai, was an open criticism of Shinde and the ruling party. T-Series, which holds the music rights to many Bollywood soundtracks, reportedly flagged the video for unauthorized use. Kamra, however, alleged that this was less about copyright and more about silencing political dissent.

Shortly after the video’s release, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers vandalized The Habitat, the Mumbai venue where Kamra had performed the routine. Despite growing political and legal pressure, Kamra refused to back down, reiterating his right to free speech. "As far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system," Kamra stated defiantly.

Reacting to the controversy, Eknath Shinde dismissed Kamra’s claims of censorship and instead accused him of targeted attacks. "Freedom of speech is there, and we understand satire, but there should be a limit. This feels like taking a ‘supari’ [contract] to speak against someone," Shinde remarked. The escalating tensions suggest that Kamra’s legal troubles may not end with the copyright strike, as multiple cases have already been filed against him.

The incident has sparked widespread debate over free speech and digital censorship in India, with Kamra’s supporters arguing that such copyright claims are being misused to curb political satire. Meanwhile, Kamra urged his followers to watch and download his video before it gets permanently taken down, claiming, "Every monopoly in India is nothing short of Mafia."