T-Series responds after Kunal Kamra accuses them of unfair blocking
What's the story
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has accused Bollywood studio T-Series of unfairly blocking his controversial stand-up special Naya Bharat on YouTube over alleged copyright violations.
The special, which includes jokes about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was flagged by T-Series for "infringement of composition rights."
According to Firstpost, a spokesperson for the label claimed Kamra "has not taken any authorization or approval for the usage of the underlying musical work in the song; hence, the content has been blocked."
Legal defense
Kamra defended his parody video, cited fair use
Reacting to the copyright claim, Kamra defended his video on social media.
He argued that "parody and satire come under fair use legally" and added, "I haven't used the lyrics or the original instrumental of the song."
He further warned T-Series not to take down his video, something he said could set a precedent for removing all cover songs and dance videos.
The comedian urged creators to take note of this legal precedent.
Twitter Post
Check out Kamra's tweet about T-Series
Hello @TSeries, stop being a stooge.
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) March 26, 2025
Parody & Satire comes 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/dance video can be taken down.
Creators please take a note of it.
Having said… pic.twitter.com/Q8HXl1UhMy
Special's success
Kamra's 'Naya Bharat' has garnered millions of views
Controversy aside, Kamra's Naya Bharat has become a huge hit on YouTube, raking in over 6.7 million views.
Notably, the special features a parody of Hawa Hawai from Mr. India, a song performed by Sridevi with vocals by Kavita Krishnamurthy, which belongs to T-Series.
It also makes jibes at recent political developments in Maharashtra, including the splits in Shiv Sena and NCP.
Song release
Kamra's parody song criticized Nirmala Sitharaman
Kamra dropped a new clip with the parody song on Wednesday, taking potshots at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and accusing the BJP of "tanashahi (dictatorship)."
The video came just as Mumbai Police issued Kamra a second summons, rejecting the comedian's request for a week to appear for questioning.
In the parody Aapka tax ka paisa ho raha hai hawa hawai (your tax money is going to waste), Kamra subtly criticizes the government over traffic issues and collapsing bridges.
Showdown
Kamra's show faced backlash, venue was vandalized
Repurcussions to the set have been varied.
Kamra's show was filmed at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, which was vandalized by Shiv Sena members on Sunday night.
Notably, the comedian has refused to apologize for his comments made in the video.
Coming to the copyright restrictions, if these continue, viewers won't be able to watch the clip. Plus, the video won't be able to generate revenue either.