The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Thursday (September 11) issued a stern warning to comedian-actor Kapil Sharma for repeatedly allowing the use of the term "Bombay" or "Bambai", instead of Mumbai, on his popular comedy show The Great Indian Kapil Show. The party threatened to launch a strong agitation if the practice is not stopped.
Ameya Khopkar, who heads the MNS' film wing, addressed reporters in Mumbai to deliver the warning.
According to ANI, Khopkar stated, "The name of this city is Mumbai. On Kapil's show, since long we have seen that the city is always referred to as Bombay or Bambai. We oppose this. It’s not an objection, it’s anger. The name of this city is Mumbai. If you can address other cities by their proper names like Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, why insult our city?"
Talking about Kapil's connection to the city, Khopkar added, "You (Kapil) have been working in Mumbai for so many years… Mumbai has been your karmabhoomi. The people of Mumbai like you and watch your shows. Mumbai is in our hearts, don’t insult this city, don’t insult the people of Mumbai… I am warning Kapil Sharma."
He further urged the actor-comedian to take corrective steps, saying, "I request you that if this has happened by mistake, then correct the mistake… Whoever comes on your show, whether they are celebrities or the anchor, tell them first that they must not call Mumbai as Bombay or Bambai. If this does not happen, then the MNS will launch a strong agitation."
When asked whether this stance was politically motivated ahead of local body polls, Khopkar dismissed the suggestion. "We have been agitating on this issue for the past many years. Keep elections aside, the name of this city is Mumbai. You will have to say Mumbai. And those who do not call it so, will have to face our anger," he said.
To support his claim, Khopkar shared a clip on X from The Great Indian Kapil Show, featuring actors and siblings Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem. In the video, Huma can be heard referring to Mumbai as Bombay while narrating her experience of moving from Delhi and receiving support from her brother.
Alongside the video, Khopkar wrote in Marathi that even though the city was officially renamed Mumbai nearly 30 years ago, the old term is still commonly used in Bollywood, TV shows, and films. He reminded that Mumbai was officially recognised by the Maharashtra government in 1995 and the central government in 1996, even before cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata adopted their present names.
Kapil currently hosts The Great Indian Kapil Show, which is streamed on Netflix every weekend. Its third season premiered on June 21. It also features Archana Puran Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Kiku Sharda, Sunil Grover, Krushna Abhishek and others.
