The contrasts are striking. L2: Empuraan is a three-hour film with a budget of Rs 180 crore, according to one of its producers. It features one of Malayalam cinema’s most beloved stars and a host of other well-known actors. It was shot at locations across the world, including Turkey, France, Yemen and Senegal.

Kunal Kamra’s Naya Bharat, is a video of a 45-minute performance by the comedian at a Mumbai venue that holds fewer than 100 people.

L2: Empuraan’s star, Mohanlal, has cordial relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi – he has met and been photographed more than once with the leader, who has described the actor as “extremely inspiring”.

Kamra, it is safe to say, is unlikely to receive an invitation to tea anytime soon.

Though many alleged that the movie was anti-Hindu because of its references to the Gujarat riots and defamed institutions such as the Intelligence Bureau, it did not face overt threats or acts of violence.

However, the same day that the Kamra video was uploaded to YouTube, the Mumbai venue where the comedian filmed his set was attacked. Vandals smashed furniture and equipment, and demanded to meet the comedian, seeming unable to understand that weeks or months can pass between a set being performed and a video of it being released.

L2: Empuraan received wide support in Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the campaign against it, Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, of the Congress, criticised the “failure and cowardice” of those who targeted it and the Kerala High Court rejected a petition to halt screenings.

In Mumbai, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis abdicated his constitutional duty to protect Kamra and the venue. Instead, he demanded that the comedian apologise for his joke. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the target of some jibes, said that “actions have reactions”.

And yet, despite facing less risk and though L2: Empuraan had already been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification, the makers of the film agreed to make 24 “voluntary cuts”. Mohanlal apologised that “certain political and social themes” had caused distress to “many who loved” him.

Kamra, meanwhile, has not backed down yet. Instead, he has suggested that he could perform at public sites that needed “speedy demolition”, noted that he had only said about Shinde what his former opponent and now fellow Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had said earlier, and offered to organise vacations for audience members who had to cut short holiday travel after being summoned by the police to record witness statements.

The comedian’s ability to hold on to humour does not diminish the seriousness of the threat to him and those who support him, and to his livelihood, as he himself outlined in a post on X. Though he might be safer in Tamil Nadu, where he lives, than he would be in Maharashtra, he is still being put through the grind of the Indian legal system.

But it is not as if in India today, kowtowing to the powerful assures one protection from such harassment anyway.

In 2023, the YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia collaborated with the Central government to present a series of adulatory interviews with several cabinet ministers. The following year, he accepted an award for the “disruptor of the year” from the prime minister at the government-sponsored National Creators Award.

But in February, after a video of a comedy show was uploaded in which he made an unfunny and unoriginal – but harmless – remark, Allahabadia found himself under siege from those who found what he said offensive. The Maharashtra Cyber Cell filed an FIR against him, police repeatedly summoned him for interrogation and the Supreme Court directed him to surrender his passport, describing his comments as “very dirty”.

On Friday, after the makers of L2: Empuraan had made cuts to their film, the Enforcement Directorate raided homes and offices of one of its producers.

That the Indian state could be bothered to spend valuable time and resources on such a trivial matter was astonishing.

The lesson, though, was clear – all kinds of free speech are antithetical to a majoritarian regime. Such expression can only survive if it is fiercely defended, by artists, journalists, academics and others. Kamra’s video appears to acknowledge that even to be able to do this is a privilege that not everyone enjoys. After the credits, it ends with a photo of the activist Umar Khalid who has been in jail since 2020 without trial, and whose pleas for bail courts have been rejected three times.

Also read:

Here is a summary of the week’s top stories.

Contentious legislation. Parliament cleared the Waqf Amendment Bill, which seeks to reduce the authority of waqf boards and increase government control over them, just after midnight on Friday. The bill proposes amendments to 44 sections of the 1995 Waqf Act, including allowing non-Muslims on waqf boards, restricting property donations and changing how waqf tribunals function.

The Rajya Sabha passed the bill after midnight on Friday, with 128 votes in favour and 95 against, following a 14-hour debate. A day earlier, the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha at around 2 am with 288 votes in favour and 232 against. It now awaits the president’s assent.

The Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party, both allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party, supported the bill. As the BJP does not have a majority in the Lok Sabha by itself, it may need the support of these parties to pass the Bill.

The Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen have challenged the constitutionality of the bill in the court.

With the Waqf Bill, the state brings a legal bulldozer to minority rights, writes Ghazala Jamil

Trump’s trade war. The Union commerce ministry said that it is examining the implications of the reciprocal tariffs announced by the United States. The US imposed tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on imports from several countries, including a 26% levy on India. They will take effect on April 9.

US President Donald Trump claimed that India’s tariffs on US goods were unfair and that his administration had pushed for reductions. The Centre said it is consulting stakeholders to explore potential opportunities “that may arise due to this new development”.

India’s tariff rate is lower than that imposed on other countries such as China (34%) and Vietnam (46%). The Union government emphasised that discussions were underway to expedite a multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement with the US.

Trump said the tariffs would rebalance trade and boost American industry but his decision has led to concerns about a global trade war.

Also read: In Trump’s tariff game, everyone is a loser – including US online shoppers

Dhaka and Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, to avoid rhetoric that could strain bilateral ties between New Delhi and Dhaka. Modi also reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh in his first meeting with Yunus since the latter took office in August.

This came days after Yunus told Chinese officials that India’s North East was landlocked and described his country as the “only guardian” for the Indian Ocean in the region. This could play a role in the “extension of the Chinese economy”, Yunus had said during his visit to China.

During their meeting, Modi told Yunus about the need to maintain border security and stability between the two countries, said India’s Ministry of External Affairs. “The prime minister also underlined India’s concerns related to safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus,” the ministry added.

Air quality crisis. The Supreme Court imposed a year-long ban on the manufacture, sale, storage and use of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region, saying that a limited ban of three or months would be ineffective as crackers would continue to be sold and stored for use during the ban period.

The bench noted that the right to health and a pollution-free environment is part of the fundamental right to life. The court also ruled that “green crackers” would not be exempt from the ban, citing a government report that found their emissions to be just 30% lower than conventional crackers.

Delhi’s air quality worsens during winter, primarily due to low wind speeds, emissions from vehicles and industries, and stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana.

Why is the Supreme Court’s regulation of firecrackers so ineffective in curbing air pollution? Vineet Bhalla explains

Also on Scroll this week

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