New Delhi: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has written an open letter to BookMyShow, urging the online ticketing platform to either retain him on its artist list or provide access to the contact information of his audience members accumulated through solo performances since 2017. The letter, shared on Kamra’s X profile on Monday, follows reports of his removal from the platform after controversy erupted over remarks he made about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

"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..." Kamra wrote in the two-page letter.

He added, "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 responds to delisting rumours

On 5 April, Kamra had posted a query directed at BookMyShow asking whether he still had access to list his shows on their platform. He wrote, "Hello @bookmyshow can you please confirm if I have your platform to list my shows if not it's fine. I understand…"

The Mumbai-born comedian, who now resides in Tamil Nadu, has been at the centre of a political storm after calling Shinde a "traitor" during a performance of his new show Naya Bharat. Following backlash, Shiv Sena members claimed BookMyShow had delisted Kamra, although the platform has not officially confirmed the action.

Not in favour of boycotts

Addressing calls by his supporters to boycott BookMyShow, Kamra expressed his disapproval of such actions.

"BookMyShow is well within their right to do what's best for their business," he wrote.

"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 also highlighted that BookMyShow charges a 10 percent commission for show listings, while artists continue to spend Rs 6,000 to Rs10,000 per day on advertising to reach their own audience—an additional financial burden.

Calls for fair access to audience data

Kamra acknowledged potential concerns over data protection, but argued for fair access in his case.

"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. As a solo artist, especially in the world of comedy, we are both the show and the production."

He clarified that he was not seeking data from collaborative events, writing, "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."

Legal developments and public reactions

Kamra’s letter comes on the same day he approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash an FIR filed against him in Mumbai for his alleged remarks about Shinde. Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has extended his interim anticipatory bail until 17 April in the same case. The comedian has also told authorities he has received death threats and has asked to be questioned via video conference.

Online, several users rallied in Kamra’s support, with hashtags such as #boycottbookmyshow and #istandwithkunalkamra trending.

One user wrote, "I have decided to #BoycottBookMyShow. What kind of an app tries to hold responsibility for the show content. To whoever tried to force you on Kunal Kamra, @bookmyshow just had to say 'we are not responsible for show content'. You couldn't do that much!"

Another user posted, "If BookMyShow removed Kunal Kamra from its app. Why don't we all uninstall the BookMyShow app from our phones? 1. They are exercising their freedom; we must exercise ours. 2. If they censor what we like, we should censor what we dislike."

Despite the controversy, Kamra’s show Naya Bharat has already garnered over 1.3 crore views on YouTube, continuing to draw widespread attention.

PTI