Atre, Pu La and now Kamra: A look at how satirists found themselves in political crosshairs in Maharashtra

The Shiv Sena’s ongoing campaign against comedian Kunal Kamra for his political satire, where he allegedly referred to party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as “gaddar (traitor)”, has brought to light the delicate and uncomfortable relationship between the state's politics and humour.

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However, Kamra is not the first humorist to clash with politicians in a state where interplay between politics and humour has long been an integral part of the conversation. Humorists in Maharashtra have frequently played a key role in both critiquing and reflecting on the political environment, often at the risk of facing backlash for their remarks.

One of the most prominent figures who drew political ire was Pralhad Keshav Atre (Acharya Atre), a journalist, politician, and humorist, whose sharp wit and satire led him into several run-ins with Maharashtra’ politicians, including Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.Atre, through his writings in his newspaper “Maratha” and public speeches, often used humour to lampoon various political leaders. One of his most memorable satirical pieces targeted then President V V Giri, who had fourteen children. Maratha published a piece with a family photograph of Giri and his children, titled “Giri yanchi kamgiri”. The humour arose from the dual meaning of the word “kaam”, which could imply both “work” and “sexual desire”, while “giri” referred to the President's surname and his performance (number of children).