BookMyBai’s 10-Year Bollywood Ban: The Burn Mark That Started It
BookMyBai co-founder Anupam Sinhal recalls the burn-mark incident that led to a nearly decade-long ban on direct Bollywood celebrity requests.
BookMyBai co-founder Anupam Sinhal has opened up about the moment his company decided to stop taking direct bookings from Bollywood celebrities, a policy that has now lasted nearly a decade.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Sinhal said the decision was made the day a worker arrived at the office with burn marks on her body. The injury followed an incident in which she accidentally scorched a celebrity’s clothes while ironing them.
“That is when we thought enough is enough and now we are not doing this anymore,” Sinhal said.
A blanket ban, with a trusted exception
Nearly ten years later, the rule is still largely in force. Sinhal said the platform continues to refuse requests that come directly from celebrities.
- Direct celebrity requests are refused outright.
- A trusted personal reference can open the door as an exception.
- Soni Razdan, not Alia Bhatt herself, is the kind of contact who may vouch for an employer.
Sinhal cited Soni Razdan, actor Alia Bhatt’s mother, as an example. If Razdan recommends a prospective employer, BookMyBai is more likely to accept; if a celebrity calls directly, the answer is usually no.
The employers who get it right
Sinhal was careful not to paint all celebrity homes with the same brush. He named Alia Bhatt, Dia Mirza, filmmaker Farah Khan, casting director Shanoo Sharma, cricketer Rohit Sharma, Sherlyn Chopra and actor Tina Datta among those who have treated domestic staff with respect.
One story stood out. Sinhal said Alia Bhatt gave ₹50 lakh to a cook who had been placed through the company, asking him to use the money to buy a house. The worker later purchased a home in Virar.
He added that such considerate celebrity employers are, in his words, “a handful.”
What has changed since the pandemic
Sinhal also recalled less dramatic but troubling moments in wealthy households, including workers being expected to remain awake until 4 am during parties even when they did not want to.
Since COVID-19, he said, employer behaviour has improved. When part-time workers could not reach homes during lockdowns, families had to manage household chores themselves. The language has also shifted, with more people saying “domestic worker” instead of “servant.”
The incident is a reminder that domestic work happens behind closed doors and needs clear rules, consistent expectations and accountability. For Sinhal, the blanket ban was a line in the sand; the trusted-reference route is the only bridge back.
Source: Mint
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