Shows delisted, Kunal Kamra writes open letter to BookMyShow amid row

Last week, Shiv Sena’s social media in-charge had written to the CEO of BookMyShow to delist Kamra's show. BookMyShow has not yet responded to Kamra’s letter.

Mumbai: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra hit back at the online ticketing platform BookMyShow for delisting him amid the political row involving his ‘gaddar’ joke against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and pressure from Shiv Sena.

“Dear BookMyShow…I still don’t know if I have your platform or not. Below is a humble view… To the audiences, I’m not a fan of boycotts or downrating a private business… BookMyShow is well within their right to do what’s best for their business,” he posted on X and Instagram, along with an open letter.

Last week, Shiv Sena’s social media in-charge and Yuva Sena general secretary Rahool Kanal shot off a letter to Ashish Hemrajani, Chief Executive Officer of Big Tree Entertainment Pvt Ltd, under which BookMyShow operates, to refrain from providing Kamra a ticketing platform, after which he was delisted.

BookMyShow, however, has not yet responded to Kamra’s letter.

In a dig at BookMyShow, Kamra said that he understands the need to maintain a cordial relationship with the state, and he knows that Mumbai is a major hub for live entertainment. “Without the state's cooperation, iconic shows like Coldplay and Guns N' Roses wouldn't be possible... however, the issue at hand isn't about whether you can or will delist me—it's about your exclusive right on listing our shows,” he said.

Besides, he noted: “By not allowing artists to list their shows through their own websites, you have effectively prevented me from accessing the audience I have performed for from 2017 to 2025. You take a 10% cut of the revenue for listing shows, which is your business model. However, this raises an important point: No matter how big or small a comedian is, we are all compelled to spend between 6,000 to 10,000 rupees a day on advertising to reach our own audience. This cost is an additional burden that we, as artists, must bear. While you might argue that data protection is a concern, the question of who protects what data, and from whom, is a much broader conversation.”

Seeking the database of his fans and loyal audience, Kamra wrote, "What I'm requesting is simple: please ensure that you hand over the contact information of the audiences you've collected from my solo shows so that I can continue living my life with dignity and work towards a fair livelihood.”

He gave the example of the Pune Comedy Festival with 30 other artists, which would be considered comedy's collective data. “But my solo shows—that's my audience. The least I deserve, should you choose to delist me, is access to them. With that in mind, I request one of the following: Do not delist me, or provide me with the data (contact information) I've generated through your platform from my audience. Thank you for your understanding,” he said.