The feud between Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola Electric, and stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has taken an unexpected turn, with fallout that could severely impact the company’s reputation and stock market performance. The spat, which began as a war of words on social media, spiralled into a much larger controversy when a number of online influencers shared screenshots, alleging that Ola’s PR team had reached out, offering payment in exchange for positive tweets to counter Kamra's criticism. These revelations fanned the flames of mockery, as memes and jokes at Ola’s expense flooded social media, adding to an already growing PR nightmare for the company.
While Aggarwal doubled down on personal attacks against Kamra, calling him out in multiple tweets, the company’s stock price did not escape unscathed. As markets opened on Monday, Ola Electric’s stock took a nosedive, raising concerns among investors who are now likely facing financial losses. This dip seems to be the result of what many see as a CEO’s refusal to address the valid concerns of customers while focusing instead on petty online insults. With Kamra’s popularity on the rise, especially after his recent legal victory for free speech, the situation has painted Aggarwal as the antagonist in a battle where public sentiment favors Kamra.
Kamra, who is hailed as a free speech hero after the Bombay High Court quashed the controversial amendments to the IT Rules 2023, has been riding high on public support. His legal victory against government censorship resonated widely, positioning him as a defender of fundamental rights. The amendments would have empowered a government-controlled Fact-Check Unit (FCU) to monitor social media for so-called "fake or misleading" content, particularly about government activities. Kamra challenged this, arguing it infringed on free speech, and the court agreed.
In contrast, Aggarwal’s handling of the situation seems to have alienated the very audience he sought to engage. By attacking Kamra, a figure popular with a large segment of the internet, and failing to acknowledge the serious and recurring service issues with Ola Electric’s scooters, Aggarwal has opened himself and the company to even more ridicule. What started as a pointed critique of the company’s service centres has turned into a public relations disaster, with Aggarwal’s hubris overshadowing the more pressing concern—the satisfaction of his customers. As memes continue to circulate, and the company’s stock continues its downward trend, the question remains whether Ola Electric can recover from this episode of online drama. Investors and consumers alike are left wondering if the company can refocus its efforts on improving service and customer satisfaction rather than engaging in online spats. For now, it appears that Kamra has emerged as the unlikely victor in a battle that could have been easily avoided had the company addressed the initial critique with grace instead of aggression.
The Ego Trip and the Social Backfire
Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola Electric, and comedian Kunal Kamra spent their Sunday in a heated exchange on X (formerly Twitter), igniting a public spat that drew widespread attention. It all began when Kamra posted a picture of Ola Electric scooters gathering dust outside a dealership, seemingly waiting for service. The image highlighted a growing concern over the company’s after-sales service, sparking outrage from customers who have faced long delays. Aggarwal, instead of addressing the issue, responded by accusing Kamra of being paid to post the criticism. In a sharp retort, Aggarwal wrote, “Since you care so much Kunal Kamra, come and help us out! I’ll even pay more than you earned for this paid tweet or from your failed comedy career,” adding that Ola was working to expand its service network and would clear the backlog soon.
Kamra, not one to back down, called Aggarwal an "arrogant, substandard pr*ck." Aggarwal, far from de-escalating, responded again with sarcasm: “Chot lagi? Dard hua? Aaja service center. Bahut kaam hai. I will pay better than your flop shows pay you,” continuing to challenge Kamra to work at an Ola service center. Throughout this bitter exchange, Aggarwal failed to address the numerous complaints that have plagued Ola Electric’s reputation. Reports suggest that the company has been receiving nearly 80,000 complaints per month, largely focused on delays at service centers. Yet, instead of addressing these concerns, the CEO focused on trading barbs with Kamra, further inflaming public sentiment about Ola’s customer service issues.
PR Management Backfire
While daggers were being thrown on both sides of the fence, a number of online influencers came out publictly and said that they have been allegedly getting messages from Ola's PR team to do paid tweets. Most shared whatsapp screenshots to prove their pont, further escalating the already terrible situation for Ola Electric. This lead to much mockery, memes and jokes at the expense of Bhavish & Ola. Meanwhile, Ola Electric stocks have not stopped falling ever since the markets opened Monday morning, which is surely going to put a dent in its investors' pocket for no other reason, but an CEO's hubris who couuldn't take a joke, and address what seems to be a re-occuring issue with its product servicing, and doubled down on insults on someone the internet likes way more than him. Please remember, Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra is today hailed as a hero after his significant victory for free speech as the Bombay High Court quashed the controversial amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2023, on September 20. The amendments aimed to empower the government to establish a Fact-Check Unit (FCU) to identify "fake or misleading" content about its activities on social media, a move that Kamra argued infringed upon fundamental rights.
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