Comedian Kunal Kamra has written an open letter to BookMyShow following reports that the popular ticketing platform may have removed his name from its listings. The move comes in the wake of a political controversy surrounding his recent remarks targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a live show.
Kamra's open letter to BookMyShow
Kamra shared the letter on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, requesting BookMyShow to either continue listing his shows or share with him the contact details of his audience base that he has built over the years through the platform.
“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...
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,” Kamra wrote in the letter.
This statement comes shortly after reports emerged that BookMyShow had removed the comedian’s profile from its portal, following pressure from the Shiv Sena. Kamra had earlier publicly asked the platform to clarify whether his shows were still welcome on their service.
“Hello @bookmyshow can you please confirm if I have your platform to list my shows if not it’s fine. I understand…” he posted on April 5.
Kamra discourages call to boycott BookMyShow
Addressing his supporters, Kamra discouraged calls for a boycott of BookMyShow, saying he doesn’t endorse such actions against private companies. However, he raised serious concerns over the control the platform exercises over artists' ability to reach their audience.
“BookMyShow is well within their right to do what's best for their business (sic). 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 added.
Kamra explained that while BookMyShow takes a 10% commission from each show, comedians are still forced to spend heavily on advertising just to reach their fans — an expense borne solely by the artist.
He wrote, “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.”
Acknowledging concerns about privacy and data protection, Kamra argued that a broader conversation is needed around who controls such data and for what reasons. “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.”
Drawing a distinction between festival performances and individual acts, he wrote, “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.”
Kamra moves Bombay HC
On the legal front, Kamra also moved the Bombay High Court on the same day, seeking to quash an FIR filed against him over his comments on Shinde. The Madras High Court, meanwhile, extended his interim anticipatory bail till April 17. Kamra has also told the police he is receiving death threats and requested that he be allowed to participate in questioning via video call.
Kamra's new show Naya Bharat, which sparked the controversy, has already racked up over 13 million views on YouTube.