Bookmyshow on Monday issued an official statement saying that it is a platform for the sale of tickets and operates its business based on neutrality and Indian laws, adding that facts about their role have been misrepresented in the public domain.
"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. Facts on our role have been misrepresented in the public domain. 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 company said in a statement. q
The company added that the platform does not take any responsibility of the views of a performer, adding that it does not restrict artists from selling tickets on their own website if they choose to do so.
"The content of each performance is solely at the discretion of the performer or the organiser (as the case may be) and does not bear any representation of our views. We work with all venues and promoters on mutually agreed upon commercials to provide our ticketing service, as would be the case with any business. We do not restrict any artist from selling their show on their own website, should they choose to do so," he statement said.
"Our platform is about bringing people together through shared experiences, regardless of their beliefs. We remain committed to delivering the best possible service and experience for everybody," the statement added.
Standup comedian Kunal Kamra reacted to the statement with an eye emoji and a meme.
This comes after reports of his shows being removed amid political pressure, specifically from members of the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
Earlier in the day, Kamra had made a public appeal to BookMyShow, urging the ticketing platform to either retain his listing or hand over the contact details of his audiences collected through his solo performances.
Kamra's Concerns With Platform Control
In a two-page open letter addressed to BookMyShow, Kamra acknowledged the platform’s need to maintain a cordial relationship with the government, especially in Mumbai, a major entertainment hub. He wrote, "Without the state's cooperation, iconic shows like Coldplay and Guns N' Roses wouldn't be possible."
However, Kamra criticised BookMyShow's exclusive control over show listings. "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 stated. He further explained that while BookMyShow takes a 10% commission on ticket sales, comedians must spend an additional Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 daily on promotions, which becomes a financial burden, particularly for smaller artists.
Political Backlash and Legal Action
The controversy began after Kamra performed a parody version of the song 'Bholi Si Surat' during his show, allegedly mocking Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The act drew criticism from Rahool N Kanal, General Secretary of Yuva Sena, who sent a letter to BookMyShow urging them to stop facilitating Kamra’s shows.
Kanal accused Kamra of targeting political leaders with offensive content and claimed his actions could “disrupt social harmony.” He warned BookMyShow that continuing to host Kamra's events could be seen as endorsing divisive views.
Kamra Responds to Threats and Defends Artistic Freedom
In a statement, Kamra clarified that performance venues should not be held responsible for the content of comedians. "Attacking a venue for a comedian's words is as senseless as overturning a lorry carrying tomatoes, because you didn't like the butter chicken you were served," he said.
Kamra also responded to political threats by defending his right to free speech. "Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not only to be used to fawn over the powerful and rich... As far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system."
Following multiple FIRs filed against him, Kamra sought transit anticipatory bail and was granted interim protection by the Madras High Court until April 17. The Bombay High Court has also agreed to hear his petition challenging one of the FIRs on constitutional grounds, claiming violations of Articles 19 and 21.
Kamra’s legal team argues that his performance, part of the show titled ‘Naya Bharat’, is an example of protected speech and should not be criminally prosecuted. The situation remains ongoing, with a court hearing scheduled and BookMyShow yet to publicly respond to Kamra's open letter.
"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. Facts on our role have been misrepresented in the public domain. 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 company said in a statement. q
The company added that the platform does not take any responsibility of the views of a performer, adding that it does not restrict artists from selling tickets on their own website if they choose to do so.
"The content of each performance is solely at the discretion of the performer or the organiser (as the case may be) and does not bear any representation of our views. We work with all venues and promoters on mutually agreed upon commercials to provide our ticketing service, as would be the case with any business. We do not restrict any artist from selling their show on their own website, should they choose to do so," he statement said.
"Our platform is about bringing people together through shared experiences, regardless of their beliefs. We remain committed to delivering the best possible service and experience for everybody," the statement added.
Standup comedian Kunal Kamra reacted to the statement with an eye emoji and a meme.
👀👀👀 https://t.co/AbNTsctRjM pic.twitter.com/10vjx0DtGE
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) April 7, 2025
This comes after reports of his shows being removed amid political pressure, specifically from members of the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
Earlier in the day, Kamra had made a public appeal to BookMyShow, urging the ticketing platform to either retain his listing or hand over the contact details of his audiences collected through his solo performances.
Kamra's Concerns With Platform Control
In a two-page open letter addressed to BookMyShow, Kamra acknowledged the platform’s need to maintain a cordial relationship with the government, especially in Mumbai, a major entertainment hub. He wrote, "Without the state's cooperation, iconic shows like Coldplay and Guns N' Roses wouldn't be possible."
However, Kamra criticised BookMyShow's exclusive control over show listings. "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 stated. He further explained that while BookMyShow takes a 10% commission on ticket sales, comedians must spend an additional Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 daily on promotions, which becomes a financial burden, particularly for smaller artists.
Political Backlash and Legal Action
The controversy began after Kamra performed a parody version of the song 'Bholi Si Surat' during his show, allegedly mocking Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The act drew criticism from Rahool N Kanal, General Secretary of Yuva Sena, who sent a letter to BookMyShow urging them to stop facilitating Kamra’s shows.
Kanal accused Kamra of targeting political leaders with offensive content and claimed his actions could “disrupt social harmony.” He warned BookMyShow that continuing to host Kamra's events could be seen as endorsing divisive views.
Kamra Responds to Threats and Defends Artistic Freedom
In a statement, Kamra clarified that performance venues should not be held responsible for the content of comedians. "Attacking a venue for a comedian's words is as senseless as overturning a lorry carrying tomatoes, because you didn't like the butter chicken you were served," he said.
Kamra also responded to political threats by defending his right to free speech. "Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not only to be used to fawn over the powerful and rich... As far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system."
Following multiple FIRs filed against him, Kamra sought transit anticipatory bail and was granted interim protection by the Madras High Court until April 17. The Bombay High Court has also agreed to hear his petition challenging one of the FIRs on constitutional grounds, claiming violations of Articles 19 and 21.
Kamra’s legal team argues that his performance, part of the show titled ‘Naya Bharat’, is an example of protected speech and should not be criminally prosecuted. The situation remains ongoing, with a court hearing scheduled and BookMyShow yet to publicly respond to Kamra's open letter.
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