Ticketing giant BookMyShow has responded to allegations made by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, who accused the platform of delisting his shows amid a growing political controversy over his recent comedy special Naya Bharat. The comedian had addressed an open letter to BookMyShow on April 6, claiming that the delisting had effectively severed his connection with audiences he had performed for over the past decade.
Following this, on April 7, BookMyShow issued a statement claiming that listing or delisting of a show is completely an organiser’s prerogative, and they have no say in it.
“BookMyShow is a platform to facilitate the sale of tickets and operates the business with neutrality and in compliance with the applicable laws of India,” the company said. “The listing or delisting of a show is completely an organiser’s prerogative, and they have full discretion over it.”
BookMyShow said that recent public discourse had misrepresented its role. “Our role is to provide a platform for ticket sales of live shows and it is the decision of the organiser or the venue to list or delist their shows,” the statement read. It also clarified that the content of performances does not reflect the company’s views and that performers are free to sell tickets independently on their own platforms.
The fallout between Kamra and BookMyShow follows a wave of backlash over a segment in Naya Bharat, which has triggered a major political controversy in Maharashtra. Three FIRs have been filed against Kamra for allegedly mocking Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde as a ‘traitor’.
Shortly after, Kamra’s shows were no longer available on BookMyShow — a move that the comedian interpreted as silent compliance with political pressure. In his open letter, Kamra expressed disappointment at what he saw as a betrayal by a platform that had supported his work for years.
“You may not owe me a platform, but you owe your users an explanation,” Kamra wrote. “When an artist is delisted for political reasons, the silence from platforms only amplifies the chilling effect.”
Meanwhile, Kamra has since been granted interim protection from arrest by the Madras High Court, which noted that the relief was temporary and intended to allow him time to seek anticipatory bail in Mumbai.
(With IANS inputs)