Kunal Kamra SLAMS BookMyShow For Delisting Him Amid Eknath Shinde Joke Row, Seeks Contact Info Of His Solo Shows' Audiences

Comedian Kunal Kamra hit back at ticketing platform BookMyShow after the latter 'delisted' him on Saturday amid the ongoing Eknath Shinde joke row. Kamra took to his X handle on Monday and requested BookMyShow to either not delist him or hand over the contact details of all those who have attended his solo shows via the platform.

In the note that he shared on X, he wrote, "Dear BookMyShow, 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 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. By not allowing artists to list their shows through their own websites, you've effectively prevented me from accessing the audience I've performed for from 2017 to 2025."

He went on to say, "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."

Seeking database of his fans and loyal audience, Kamra wrote, "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. 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 further continued, "As a solo artist, especially in the world of comedy, we are both the show and the production. For instance, if I performed at the Pune Comedy Festival with 30 other artists, that 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 (sic)," he concluded.

BookMyShow is yet to respond to Kamra's letter to them.

The entire fiasco erupted when Kamra performed his standup set, Naya Bharat, in Mumbai a few days ago, in which he took a dig at Maharashtra's political situation. He seemingly also called the state's deputy chief minister, Eknath Shinde, a traitor in his satirical song, which caused a massive uproar in the state against the comedian.

However, Kamra refused to apologise, stating, "What I said is exactly what Mr Ajit Pawar (1st Deputy CM) said about Mr Eknath Shinde (2nd Deputy CM). I don't fear this mob, and I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down."

The Mumbai Police have filed three cases against Kamra. He subsequently approached the Madras High Court and secured interim protection from arrest, which has now been extended till April 17.

Kamra is yet to appear before the Mumbai Police to record his statement despite three summons being served to him.

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