In a heated exchange on the social media platform X, Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and comedian Kunal Kamra traded barbs after Kamra raised concerns about the electric vehicles (EVs) produced by Ola. The verbal spat began when Kamra shared a photo of an Ola service centre, highlighting a lack of care for the parked EVs, which he noted were gathering dust in cramped conditions.
“Do Indian consumers have a voice? Do they deserve this? Two-wheelers are a lifeline for many daily wage workers,” Kamra tweeted, echoing frustrations about the condition of Ola’s electric vehicles. This followed Aggarwal’s previous post showcasing the company’s impressive Gigafactory.
In response to Kamra’s comments, Aggarwal urged anyone dissatisfied with Ola’s electric offerings to share their experiences while tagging government officials. However, the response from users revealed many negative experiences with the company. One commenter lamented, “It’s worse when the leader doesn’t respond. Ola, an Indian company, is treating Indian customers like a fly-by-night operation,” to which Kamra replied, expressing disappointment at how Ola handles customer complaints.
Aggarwal then accused Kamra of targeting his company for financial gain, implying that Kamra’s tweet was a “paid” endorsement against Ola. “Since you care so much @kunalkamra88, come and help us out. I’ll even pay more than you earned for this paid tweet or from your failed comedy career. Or else, sit quiet and let us focus on fixing the issues for the real customers,” he retorted.
Kamra responded sharply, defending his integrity. “Paid tweet, failed comedy career, and sit quietly. This is the humble approach of Indian businessmen at their best,” he shot back. He challenged Aggarwal to provide proof of his claims about being compensated for the tweet. “If you can prove I am paid for the tweet, I’ll delete all social media and sit quietly forever,” Kamra asserted, sharing a clip from his stand-up routine to showcase his comedic talent.
Aggarwal did not hold back, quipping, “Chot lagi? Dard hua? (Did it hurt?) Aaja (come to) service centre. Bahut kaam hai (We have a lot of work).” He continued to belittle Kamra’s career, suggesting he could benefit from hands-on experience at Ola.
Kamra redirected the conversation back to customer accountability, demanding that Ola provide a full refund for anyone looking to return their electric vehicle, especially those who purchased it within the last four months. “You can’t offer a 100 percent refund to people who have purchased your OLA in the last four months, but you want to pay me?” he questioned.
“I don’t need your money. People not being able to get to work need your accountability. Show your customers that you truly care,” he emphasized.
Aggarwal maintained his stance, again mocking Kamra’s comedic career. “Comedian ban na sake, chaudhary banne chale (Couldn’t become a comedian and is trying to be a leader here). Do your research better next time. And the offer to come and help us out in our service center remains open,” he stated.
In a final retort, he insisted that Ola has programs in place for customers facing service delays and urged Kamra to stop with the “armchair criticism” and instead contribute meaningfully.
Founded in 2010 by Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, Ola originally focused on ride-hailing before venturing into the electric vehicle market with the launch of the Ola S1 electric scooter on August 15, 2021. The company has since been striving to expand its EV offerings amidst a growing competitive landscape.
