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Kunal Kamra makes two requests to BookMyShow amid delisting over Eknath Shinde joke row
Kunal Kamra requested BookMyShow to provide him access to the information the platform has collected on the audiences from his solo shows.
After online ticketing giant BookMyShow removed all content related to Kunal Kamra and delisted him as an artist on its platform amid the row over his alleged joke on Eknath Shinde, the comedian wrote an open letter to the platform and made two requests.
"Do not delist me or provide me with the data (contact information) I have generated through your platform from my audience," Kamra wrote.
BookMyShow reportedly delisted Kamra in the backdrop of mounting pressure from political figures and Shiv Sena youth leader Rahool Kanal. He had written to the platform, urging it to halt platform sales for Kamra's upcoming shows. He slammed the comedian in a post on X and accused him of engaging in a "campaign of vilification", which he said targeted several key noted individuals.
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Kamra, in his latest X post, while showing understanding towards the business aspect of the ticketing giant, emphasised the limitations that artists face.
Kunal Kamra on BookMyShow's ‘business model’
"I understand that you need to maintain a cordial relationship with the state, and I know that Mumbai is a major hub for live entertainment. Without the state's cooperation, iconic shows like Coldplay and Guns N' Roses would not be possible," he wrote.
The comedian highlighted that the problem is not about BookMyShow's authority to delist him; it is about the platform's "exclusive right on listing our shows".
"By not allowing artists to list their shows through their websites, you have effectively prevented me from accessing the audience I have performed for from 2017 to 2025," Kamra added.
He also noted that the ticketing website charges a 10 per cent cut of the revenue for listing artists' shows, which he said, is the "business model" of BookMyShow.
"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 audience. This cost is an additional burden that we, as artists, must bear," he wrote.
Mentioning data protection, Kamra emphasised that the broader conversation is around who protects what data and from whom.
He said that his request was simple, it is that BookMyShow hands over the audience information collected from his solo shows so that "I can continue living my life with dignity and work towards a fair livelihood".
"As a solo artist, especially in the world of comedy, we are both the show and the production," Kamra wrote, giving an example to back his point. He said that if he performed at the Pune Comedy Festival with 30 other artists, that would be considered a comedy collective data. Whereas his solo shows are his exclusive audience. "The least I deserve, should you choose to delist me, is access to them," he added.
"With that in mind, I request one of the following: Do not delist me, or provide me with the data (contact information) I have generated through your platform from my audience. Thank you for your understanding," Kamra wrote in his X post.
In his caption to the post, Kamra addressed the audiences and said that he is not a fan of boycotts or down-rating private businesses. "BookMyShow is well within their rights to do what's best for their business," the comedian said.
Kunal Kamra had courted massive controversy last month after he allegedly made a 'gaddar' (traitor) joke on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. During his solo show, without taking any names, Kamra had seemingly mocked the Shiv Sena chief by modifying a song from the Bollywood film, 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai'.
Additionally, earlier on Monday, the Madras high court also extended the interim anticipatory bail granted to Kamra till April 17, in connection with the FIR lodged against him in Mumbai over his alleged remarks against Shinde.
