Went For Kunal Kamra’s Show, Landed at the Police Station Instead

Sagar Parekh recounts what happened when he went to see Kunal Kamra’s comedy show.

Comedian Kunal Kamra was to perform in Surat on 3 August, but his show was cancelled. Sagar Parekh recounts what happened after.

(Photo: Facebook/Altered by The Quint)

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman

On 3 August, I went to attend comedian Kunal Kamra’s show ‘Fresher Thoughts’ in Surat. Some reports suggest it was cancelled over a “threat of disruption”.

My friend and I had reached the venue when we heard the news. We were still waiting there, hoping there was a chance we’d get to see Kamra perform. There was a man who was present at the spot to stop the show, as I recall. He wasn't from any organisation, but was loudly opposing Kamra’s comedy, calling him ‘anti-Hindu’, ‘anti-national’ et al.

I asked him politely why exactly he thought Kamra was ‘anti-Hindu’ or any of the things he was claiming. He said, “read his tweets and watch his videos”. To that, I replied that I had never come across any such videos or tweets from the comedian.

This is where he asked me my name, and I told him. Then, he asked what my last name was. I assumed he wanted to know so that he could piece what my caste/religion is, as is the case usually. I asked him why he asked.

He said “I want to know whether you’re converted or not”. I asked him to explain that statement, and he said “converted from Islam or Christianity”.

I told him he could not ask me that. At this point, he noticed my friend was recording the incident. So he started getting aggressive with him. A scuffle erupted.

The police was present at the spot and, given the commotion, they took us all to the police station. While we were talking to the police, one of the men went outside to tell others in the group (who came to support us) that we won't be harmed because we were Hindus.

Eventually, they made us delete the video and the police took a statement from us. After the incident, all I want to ask is if this is what Hindu privilege looks like, because it was mentioned several times that we are Hindus (without even asking us).

We were soon released to go home.

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