Comedian Kunal Kamra rang in the New Year by poking fun at Blinkit's gig economy model, accusing Zomato-backed platform CEO Albinder Dhindsa of exploiting delivery workers.
Kamra, in a note on X, branded the platform owners “landlords who own no land” as they questioned how much Blinkit paid its distribution partners in 2024.
The controversy erupted after Dhindsa shared Blinkit's record figures since New Year's Eve. The quick-commerce app, which promises 10-minute deliveries, recorded its highest orders in a single day, including largest orders per minute (OPM), orders per hour (OPH) and total tips given to delivery partners. Among the top buys of the night: 1,22,356 condom packs, 45,531 water bottles, 22,322 PartySmart tablets and 2,434 Eno packets. Dhindsa's post quipped, “Ready for an after party?”
Kamra didn't find those numbers amusing. “While we enjoy the convenience of quick commerce, we ignore the dark side,” he said, accusing Blinkit and other platforms of offering “unaffordable freelancers” while paying wages that fail to meet aspirations.
He called the platform owners “thugs who use data as oil without paying for oilfields” and demanded Dhindsa reveal the average salaries paid to distribution partners last year.
Dindsa has not yet responded.
Blinkit Rights Distribution Partners can earn up to Rs.50,000 per month including incentives and benefits. Workers are paid weekly, with flexible shifts ranging from 4 to 10 hours. Perks include accident and medical insurance up to Rs 10 lakh and bonus up to Rs 4,000.
Despite these claims, Kamra argued that gig workers are underpaid and overworked, warning that such models are ripe for regulatory intervention. “Someday there will be a regulation that will humble them,” he said.
This is not the first time Kamra has taken on a tech CEO. In 2024, he fell out with Ola founder Bhavesh Aggarwal over Ola's electric scooter after-sales service. Kamra accused Ola of failing customers with poor service and limited repair options, prompting a heated exchange on social media that highlighted growing dissatisfaction with gig-based business models.