Comedian Samay Raina’s Gujarat tour appears to have been cancelled after ticketing platform BookMyShow allegedly removed sales for the shows scheduled in April. Authorities in Gujarat claim that neither the event organisers nor the platform had obtained the necessary permissions for the show in Vadodara.
According to media reports, The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) issued a notice to BookMyShow and All Events, the two online platforms where tickets had been listed for Raina’s show at the VMC-run Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay auditorium. While BookMyShow had reportedly sold out tickets for Raina’s India’s Got Latent Unfiltered Tour, the VMC clarified that no bookings had been made for the event at the Vadodara venue.
Earlier this week, Raina’s YouTube show sparked controversy after a conversation with podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia went viral, leading to multiple FIRs over allegedly objectionable remarks. Following the controversy, the Surat show, set for April 17 at the Sanjeev Kumar Auditorium, was also called off. The local event organiser, Jayesh Bapodaraiya, cancelled the booking due to the ongoing issue.
Reports added that bookings for shows in Ahmedabad on February 19 and 20 at the AUDA auditorium were also terminated following the controversy. Officials from the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority confirmed the cancellation, citing a lack of necessary approvals.
Although Raina’s tour is still listed on BookMyShow for other cities, ticket sales for those shows have been disabled. A spokesperson for BookMyShow reportedly declined comment on whether refunds were being processed or on the allegations regarding unauthorised ticket sales in Gujarat.
Popular for his quick wit, the comedian is currently dealing with both personal and professional issues as the fallout continues to impact his career. Raina’s legal team reportedly sent a representative to the Khar police station to represent him. The team assured that Raina will cooperate with the investigation once he returns from a tour.
It has emerged that the police are also reaching out to BookMyShow for information about those who purchased tickets and attended the show. They are keen to determine if any women in the audience felt uncomfortable when the jokes, allegedly in bad taste, were made.
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