BookMyShow delists Kunal Kamra amid Sena pressure; all content removed
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Mumbai: In a significant setback for stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, online ticketing platform BookMyShow delisted the artist and removed all content related to him from its portal on Saturday. The decision was met with appreciation from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which thanked BookMyShow's parent company, Big Tree Entertainment Pvt Ltd, for the action.
The move follows a formal request by Shiv Sena youth leader and social media head, Rahool N Kanal, who had urged the platform not to support Kamra by facilitating ticket sales for his shows. Kanal alleged that Kamra's performances propagated ‘divisive’ rhetoric, potentially endangering public sentiment and order in Mumbai.
In a follow-up letter addressed to the company on Saturday, Kanal expressed gratitude for the removal of Kamra’s profile and associated content. “I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the continued support of your team to take the said artist out of your sale and promotion listing. I thank you for even taking him out of the BookMyShow search history,” he stated.
“Thank you for keeping your portal clean and keeping such artists out of the list of pure entertainment, because we all being Mumbaikars love and believe in every form of art but not personal agendas,” he added. Kanal commended BookMyShow for upholding values aligned with public sentiment and customer experience.
In his earlier communication dated April 2, Kanal had pointed out that the platform had previously promoted and sold tickets for Kamra’s shows. He accused the comedian of engaging in a “sustained campaign of vilification and defamation” against key political figures including the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, and others.
“These actions appear to be part of a broader criminal conspiracy, driven by ulterior motives that extend far beyond the realm of humour or satire,” Kanal had claimed. He further alleged that Kamra’s statements were “premeditated, scripted, provocative, and malicious,” consistently crossing ethical and legal boundaries, hurting public sentiments, and potentially disrupting social harmony.
“By providing a platform for his performances, BookMyShow inadvertently lends credibility and reach to an individual whose actions threaten public order, particularly in a vibrant and diverse city like Mumbai, where your company is headquartered,” he wrote.
The controversy around Kamra intensified after he alluded to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a traitor in a satirical song, prompting backlash and the filing of three legal cases against him. While the Madras High Court has granted Kamra temporary protection from arrest, the Mumbai Police continue to investigate the matter.
Police have begun recording statements from the cameraperson and others present during the filming of the show. Authorities have assured Kamra of safety during questioning, but he has yet to appear before the Mumbai Police despite receiving three summons.
With IANS inputs
