Kunal Kamra mocks Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal with deepfake video as Ola shares dip

Comedian Kunal Kamra has escalated his ongoing feud with Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal by posting a deepfake video mocking Aggarwal. This comes as Ola Electric's shares fell nearly 4 per cent on Tuesday, reaching a 52-week low of ₹74.82, below its issue price of ₹76 since the company's public listing in August. The video, shared on social media, features customer complaints about Ola Electric alongside a LiveMint article screenshot about the stock slump. Kamra included a deepfake clip of Aggarwal saying, “Mujhe farak nhi padhta” (I don’t care), suggesting the CEO's indifference to customer dissatisfaction.

The dispute between Kamra and Aggarwal began earlier in October when Kamra criticised Ola Electric's after-sales service, citing long wait times and unresolved complaints. He pointed to a high number of complaints, reportedly reaching 80,000 per month, questioning why the company wasn't doing more to resolve these issues. Aggarwal responded by accusing Kamra of being paid to damage Ola's reputation and challenged him to spend a day at an Ola service centre. This response led to backlash, with social media users supporting Kamra and criticising Aggarwal's dismissive tone.

Kamra has continued to highlight customer grievances, often sharing complaints on X (formerly Twitter). Recently, he humorously accepted Aggarwal's challenge to work at an Ola service centre, saying he felt like an employee due to the numerous complaints he was tagged in. Kamra also mocked reports of Ola hiring bouncers at its service centres, intensifying online criticism of the company's customer relations approach. Last week, he challenged Aggarwal to show footage of Ola service centres, mocking a Diwali celebration video Aggarwal posted from an Ola showroom.

Ola Electric, which went public on 9 August 2024, had a tepid stock market debut despite favourable conditions. The stock opened at ₹75.99 on the BSE and ₹76 on the NSE and has struggled to gain momentum. The recent dip below its issue price raises concerns among investors about the company's reputation and customer service. Kamra's mockery and ongoing customer complaints seem to be affecting public perception, with some social media users echoing his criticisms. Comments like “Kunal bhai sahi bol raha hai use fark nahi padta hai” (Kunal is right, he doesn’t care) reflect this sentiment. Others joked about Ola's “bots” taking a day off, warning Aggarwal that he “will care when the quarterly report comes.”

The controversy has also attracted regulatory attention. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued a Show Cause Notice to Ola, questioning its practices. Ola claimed it had resolved 99.1 per cent of complaints, but the Department of Consumer Affairs is investigating this claim and plans to contact customers to verify their satisfaction. Kamra's persistent focus on Ola's service issues keeps the pressure on the company, drawing public and media attention. With shares struggling and regulatory scrutiny increasing, Ola may need to take significant steps to address customer complaints and improve its image. Kamra's campaign has not only amplified dissatisfied customers' voices but also sparked a conversation about corporate accountability in India's electric vehicle market.