Bookmyshow Quietly Restores Kunal Kamra’s Profile After Alleged Removal

Online ticketing platform BookMyShow has restored comedian Kunal Kamra’s artist profile after reports suggested that the company took down all content related to Kamra on April 5. This comes soon after Shiv Sena Yuva Sena General Secretary Rahool Kanal wrote to the platform requesting it to refrain from providing Kamra a platform, according to an ANI report. In his letter, Kanal says that Kamra has been observed to engage in a sustained campaign of vilification and defamation targeting the Prime Minister of India. 

“These actions appear to be part of a broader criminal conspiracy, driven by ulterior motives that extend far beyond the realm of humor or satire,” Kanal says, adding that Kamra’s remarks have the potential to incite public mischief and disrupt social harmony. Kanal mentioned that by providing a platform for Kamra’s performances, BookMyShow was inadvertently lending credibility to his actions.

Despite Kamra’s post on X asking for clarification about the removal of his artist profile, the company never publicly confirmed or denied whether it had taken any action. Further, when MediaNama reached out to the company for a statement, BookMyShow declined to comment on the matter.

What is causing the pushback against Kamra?

The pushback against Kamra began after the comedian’s comedy special, Naya Bharat. As a part of this special, Kamra took jabs at Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, sparking controversy. Besides the backlash on his comments, Kamra’s special (which he uploaded on YouTube) also received a copyright strike from the music label TSeries. The copyright claim potentially relates to the fact that Kamra’s comedy special contained parodies of the label’s songs, such as Hawa Hawai and Bholi Si Surat.

Can BookMyShow remove artists from its service?

BookMyShow’s terms and conditions prohibit users from using the website for any purpose that is unlawful or illegal under any law in force within or outside India. The company also prohibits the use of its communication services (like email, chat, or bulletin boards) to defame, abuse, harass, or otherwise violate the legal rights of others. If a user breaches the company’s terms and conditions, infringes third-party rights, breaches any applicable law, or otherwise results in liability for the user, other users, or BookMyShow itself, the company reserves the right to:

• Limit the user’s activity
• End the user’s listing
• Warn other users of this user’s actions
• Immediately, temporarily or indefinitely suspend or terminate the user’s registration
• Refusing to provide the user access to the site

As such, if someone violates the platform’s terms and conditions or uses its services for unlawful purposes, BookMyShow is well within its rights to limit their activity or take down their listings on the platform. The company further mentions that it reserves the right to reinstate suspended users at any time at its sole discretion.

Legal provisions that could warrant the removal of Kamra’s profile:

Interestingly, Kanal’s letter defined Kamra’s remarks as inciting public mischief. Statements conducting public mischief are violative of Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 353 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS 2023). The government has previously used this section in conjunction with Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to issue takedown notices to X (formerly Twitter). Takedowns under Section 505 have included remarks against the government, fake videos around reservation, communal disharmony and an edited video of the Prime Minister.

What remains unclear:

In a post on X on April 7, Kamra issued a statement saying that BookMyShow has not confirmed whether he can use their platform to list his shows. He mentioned that he understands the company needs to maintain a cordial relationship with the state. He added that, in his situation, the issue is not whether or not they de-listed him, but rather the company’s exclusive rights to listing shows.

“By not allowing artists to list their shows on their own websites, you’ve effectively prevented me from accessing the audience I’ve performed for from 2017 to 2025,” he explained. Kamra added that the company’s business model involves taking a 10% cut of the revenue for listing shows. He urged the platform to either share the contact information of the audience they have collected from his solo shows or to not de-list him.

“While you might argue data protection, the question of who protects what data and from whom is a much broader one,” he added.

Also read:

• T-Series Flags Kamra’s Video; Fair Use or Infringement?
• Fact Check Amendment will result in state-sponsored censorship: Kunal Kamra before the Bombay High Court
• Fact Check Rule harms a satirist’s rights: Stand-up comic Kunal Kamra’s Advocate argues before the Bombay High Court

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