Hyderabad: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s show “Standing Up” went ahead without disruption at TGSRTC Kalabhavan in Hyderabad on Sunday, October 11, as the police took 15 Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists into preventive custody when they arrived to stop it.
Calling Kamra “anti-Hindu,” the protesters raised slogans against him at the venue, the police said.
“Fifteen people were taken into preventive custody when they came there to hold a protest,” an official said. The show was held peacefully, the police added.
The protesters arrived in a bus. Chikkadpally police had earlier confirmed to Siasat.com that a bus carrying 10 to 15 people reached the venue, but said the situation did not escalate.
Mahnoor Sahrash, who attended the show, said the police presence was heavy.
“Kunal Kamra’s show, Standing Up, scheduled at TGRTC Kala Bhavan saw some solid police arrangements and a bus full of people clearly not wanting the show to go on. Commendable effort by police to maintain law and order. The bus was not to be seen after 10 minutes, but I saw one person recording a video vilifying the show and Kamra as being anti-national,” she told Siasat.com.
The Hyderabad unit of the Bajrang Dal had threatened to disrupt the event, according to an ANI report. It accused Kamra of making offensive remarks about the Hindu deities Ram and Sita, and reportedly filed a police complaint seeking to stop the show.
“We will stop the anti-Hindu Kunal Kamra show scheduled for today at TGRTC Kala Bhavan, RTC X Roads, Hyderabad. Kunal Kamra always criticises the Hindu gods Ram and Sita. Cases have also been filed against him at many places earlier. We have filed a complaint with the Hyderabad police not to give permission for the event. If the event continues today, we, along with a large number of Bajrang Dal and VHP workers, will definitely stop it,” ANI quoted the Bajrang Dal as saying.
According to attendees, two shows had first been planned at Visvesvaraya Bhavan in Khairatabad, at 3 pm and 6 pm. One was then cancelled, and the venue was moved to TGSRTC Kalabhavan.
Kamra has faced protests before. In March 2025, he called Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a “traitor” in his special “Naya Bharat.” Shinde’s Shiv Sena supporters then vandalised the Mumbai venue where it was recorded. Mumbai police registered a first information report (FIR) against the comedian, and the Madras High Court granted him interim anticipatory bail.
This post was last modified on October 11, 2026 11:17 pm