Kunal Kamra’s stand-up comic show at Mumbai’s Habitat studio, which sparked a massive row over his jokes on Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, also featured jibes at Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal, with whom the comedian has clashed in the past too.
When an audience asked him about reports of Ola scooters catching fire, Kunal Kamra replied, “Indian businessmen don’t even admit when they’re wrong. Take the Ola guy, for example. What did I say that made him so angry? It’s simple: you manufacture two-wheelers, and neither wheel works. And yet, he tells me, ‘Come work with us, let’s build India together’. What is this fetish to ‘make India’? Can’t make a bike and he will make India. Limit your aspirations.”
The comic said Ola has launched new colours for its scooters, “hoping that they work now”. “He says he will give me money. Arey, give it to those asking for refunds,” Kunal Kamra said.
The comic said thousands of Ola customers sent him complaints after his online spat with Bhavish Aggarwal. “What can I do? The agencies for consumer protection are not able to do anything.”
In October, the comic and the Ola founder clashed on X when the former criticised Ola Electric over rising consumer complaints. Bhavish Aggarwal responded by inviting Kunal Kamra to help out at Ola’s service centers and added a jibe: that the job would pay better “than his flop shows.” He also alleged that the comic’s post was “paid”.
Kunal Kamra dared the Ola founder to prove that he is paid to tweet and he would “delete all social media and sit quietly forever.
The comic also responded that he was ready to take up Bhavish Aggarwal’s job offer, but laid down conditions or “action points”. “Ola Electric must stand firm in their commitment to solve their service crisis. OLA must commit to completing all scooter repairs within seven business days from service request at authorised service centres,” he demanded. He also said that for repairs beyond seven days, “customers will first receive either a temporary replacement scooter or daily conveyance reimbursement of Rs 500 until repair completion”. “Additionally, customers will earn Rs 500 per delayed day (up to Rs 50,000),” the comedian said.
Kunal Kamra has made headlines after his parody of a popular song targeting Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Upset over the joke, Sena leaders vandalised the Habitat studio in Mumbai where the show was shot. Police cases have been filed against the comic and the civic body has cracked down on the studio. Kunal Kamra has said he does not fear the mob and won’t be hiding. He has said he is willing to cooperate with police and courts, but questioned if the law would also apply to those involved in the vandalism.
