Aditi Mittal, one of the first female stand-up comedians in , always consults her lawyer and her mother about her acts to try to keep in step with the country’s censors and authorities.
“If they want to come after you, they will come after you for whatever reason. You could be like, ‘oh I like potatoes,’ and the next day the anti-potato association is standing at your doorstep,” she told DW.
Political satire in censors’ crosshairs
While Mittal’s statement has a hint of humor, it is particularly pertinent. Just a month ago, fellow comedian Kunal Kamra was targeted for his political satire.
In his act, he criticized former Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, which resulted in a mob attack and the subsequent closure of the performance venue.
A report was also filed against the comedian and audience members were even summoned for questioning by the police.
Shinde is the leader of a breakaway faction of Maharashtra’s right-wing Shiv Sena party, which currently rules the state after forming an alliance with Prime Minister Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Shiv Sena and the BJP did not respond to email queries from DW for this story.
Mittal points out that Kamra never directly named any politician in his act.
Asked if it will be harder to find venues willing to host comedy performances, Mittal said, “the Mumbai police has to answer this. Are they capable of protecting the city they are in charge of? Then I am sure it will not be a problem. But I am sure that is a question for Mumbai police.”
The Bombay High Court stayed the arrest of Kamra, but investigations are still ongoing over the report filed against him.
Artists and entertainers come under attack
It’s not just comedians who are in hot water: the release of a recent film in Mumbai called Phule was delayed due to objections raised by three Brahmin groups, who said it portrayed Brahmins unfavorably.
Under the Hindu caste system, Brahmans are at the top of the social hierarchy followed by other castes, with Dalits — also known as “untouchables” — at the bottom.
The film was a fictionalized version of the real-life stories of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, 19th century social reformers fighting for girls’ education and against casteism.
After complying with the Censor Board’s demands, the film was finally released on April 25.
Mumbai is not only home to the billion-dollar Bollywood, television and OTT platform industries, but also to independent artists, entertainers, filmmakers and other creatives.
With dozens of performance venues and creative spaces across the city, it is a hub for India’s entertainment sector.
Censorship on the rise
Observers of India’s financial capital say .
But these attacks have become state-sponsored since the ruling BJP came to power in 2014, writer and political analyst Raju Parulekar told DW.
“We cannot say we are a civilized society. We are afraid of any such expressions through writing, cinema or other forms of art and we try to suppress them,” Parulekar.
“Any authoritarian regime is afraid that the truths hidden by them will be exposed by artists. They might clamp down on the media but if an artist exposes the truth in a different way, they feel their weakness is exposed,” he added.
Attacks on artists and creatives are nothing new in India. In 2021, comedian Munawar Faruqui was arrested in the city of Indore, about 661 kilometers (410 miles) from the capital Delhi. He spent nearly a month in prison for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by making fun of Hindu Gods before he had even performed.
In 2017, popular radio personality Malishka was sent a notice by Mumbai’s Municipal Corporation for making a satirical song about potholes on the roads of Mumbai.
India has plummeted in free speech indices over the years. A study by the US think tank The Future of Free Speech placed India 24th among 33 nations, between South Africa and Lebanon.
Creatives need protection
Mumbai-based lawyer Anamika Jha noticed that many independent creators had very little legal protection, which prompted her to start her firm Attorneys for Creators to provide affordable legal services to independent creators.
She says any creator making content about political or religious themes puts themselves at greater legal risk.
“Our Constitution, under Article 19, gives us the right to freedom of speech and expression — but it also allows for reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order, morality, decency, and the sovereignty of the country. There’s a fine line between bold expression and legal risk — and that’s where thoughtful legal review becomes essential,” Jha told DW.
Edited by: Karl Sexton
The post What is behind Mumbai’s crackdown on artists’ free speech? appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
