Comedian Kunal Kamra mocked Blinkit’s gig economy model in the New Year, accusing Albinder Dhindsa, CEO of the Zomato-backed platform, of exploiting delivery workers.
Kamra, in a post on X, branded the platform owners as “owners without any land ownership,” as he questioned how much Blinkit paid its delivery partner in 2024.
Controversy arose after Dhindsa shared Blinkit’s record-breaking figures by New Year’s Eve. The fast-commerce app, which promises 10-minute delivery, reported its highest-ever orders in a day, including the most orders per minute (OPM), orders per hour (OPH) , and includes the total tips given to the delivery partner. Among the biggest purchases of the night: 1,22,356 packs of condoms, 45,531 bottles of water, 22,322 PartySmart tablets, and 2,434 packets of Eno. Dhindsa’s post said, “Preparing for the after party?”
Kamra did not find the numbers amusing. “While we enjoy the convenience of fast trading, let’s not ignore the dark side,” he said, accusing Blinkit and other platforms of offering “freedom workers can’t afford” to pay wages. Doing that fails to fulfill desires.
He called platform owners “thugs using data as oil without paying for oil fields” and demanded Dhindsa disclose the average salary paid to delivery partners last year.
Dhindsa has not reacted yet.
Blinkit claims that delivery partners can earn up to ₹50,000 per month, including incentives and benefits. Workers are paid weekly with flexible shifts ranging from 4 to 10 hours. Benefits include bonuses of up to ₹10 lakh and ₹4,000 in accident and medical insurance.
Despite these claims, Kamra argues that gig workers are underpaid and overworked, warning that such models are ripe for regulatory intervention. “Someday there will be a rule that will humble them,” he said.
This is not the first time Kamra has hired a tech CEO. In 2024, he clashed with Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal over the after-sales service of Ola’s electric scooters. Kamra had accused Ola of failing customers with poor service and limited repair options, sparking a heated exchange on social media that highlighted growing dissatisfaction with gig-driven business models. .
