Kunal Kamra’s Post On BookMyShow Delisting Raises Serious Questions On Audience Data

Comedian Kunal Kamra has publicly addressed concerns regarding the delisting of his shows from BookMyShow, a leading ticketing platform, and the implications this has on access to his audience data. In a statement shared on social media, Kamra expressed uncertainty about his association with BookMyShow and underscored the broader issue of artists’ rights to their audience information.

Kamra acknowledged BookMyShow’s prerogative as a private enterprise to make decisions in its best interest. However, he highlighted a critical concern: the platform’s exclusive control over event listings effectively restricts artists from reaching their established audiences through alternative channels. This exclusivity, coupled with the platform’s commission structure, compels artists to incur additional advertising expenses to engage their supporters.

The comedian’s remarks come in the wake of recent controversies. Notably, Shiv Sena’s social media chief, Rahool Kanal, urged BookMyShow to cease promoting Kamra’s shows, citing the comedian’s alleged history of making provocative statements against political figures. Kanal asserted that providing Kamra with a platform could inadvertently contribute to social unrest.

This appeal followed incidents where venues hosting Kamra’s performances faced backlash. For instance, the Habitat Studio in Mumbai temporarily shut down after being vandalized by Shiv Sena workers protesting Kamra’s jokes about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Kamra’s situation underscores a broader debate within the entertainment industry about the balance between platform policies, artists’ rights, and political pressures. As digital platforms become primary conduits between performers and audiences, the control and accessibility of audience data have become pivotal issues. Artists like Kamra advocate for more equitable arrangements that allow them to maintain direct connections with their supporters, ensuring their ability to sustain their livelihoods independent of platform-mediated gatekeeping.

A note from Kunal Kamra said this:

“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.
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 l’ve performed for from 2017 to 2025.

You take a 10% cut of the revenue for listing shows, which is your business model. However, this raises an important point: 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.

While you might argue that data protection is a concern, the question of who protects what data, and from whom, is a much broader conversation.

What l’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.

For instance, if I performed at the Pune Comedy Festival with 30 other artists, that would be considered comedys collective data. But my solo shows-that’s my audience. The least I deserve, should you choose to delist me, is access to them.

With that in mind, 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.
Thank you for your understanding.”