BookMyBai founder recalls burn incident that led to ban on Bollywood celebrities almost a decade ago

BookMyBai co-founder Anupam Sinhal has revealed the disturbing incident that prompted his company to stop providing domestic workers to Bollywood celebrities nearly a decade ago.

BookMyBai founder on why Bollywood celebrities are banned from his platform

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Sinhal recalled how a female worker arrived at the company’s office with burns on her body after an incident with an iron.

“The Bollywood celebrity’s decision was taken on a day when a worker entered her office with iron burn marks on her body because she accidentally burnt the clothes of that particular celebrity while ironing her dress,” Sinhal said.

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The incident, he explained, became a turning point for the company. “At the time we thought that was enough, and now we don’t do it anymore,” he added.

The report highlights the vulnerability of domestic workers, whose employment often takes place in private homes, outside of public scrutiny. Sinhala’s remarks also raise questions about the safeguards available to workers when they face mistreatment at work.

Is the ban on Bollywood celebrities still in effect?

Asked if the restriction remained in place nearly 10 years later, Sinhal offered a qualified answer: “Yes and no.”

He said BookMyBai continues to reject requests from celebrities who approach the platform directly. However, exceptions can be made when a trusted contact personally vouches for a potential employer.

“If a celebrity contacts us directly saying they need a domestic helper, we flat out refuse to be able to provide you with that service because we have a blanket ban on that,” he said.

Sinhal cited Soni Razdan, mother of actor Alia Bhatt, as an example of someone whose recommendation could lead the company to accept the application. He clarified that Razdan, rather than Bhatt herself, contacts the company in such cases.

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According to Sinhala, the difference between an unsolicited application and an application supported by a credible reference.

Alia Bhatt, Dia Mirza among celebrities praised

Despite the restrictions, Sinhal said some celebrities treat their domestic workers with consideration and generosity. He named Alia Bhatt and Dia Mirza among those who he said showed respect to their workers.

He also mentioned filmmaker Farah Khan, casting director Shanoo Sharma, cricketer Rohit Sharma, Sherlyn Chopra and actor Tino Dutt.

Sinhal recalled that Bhatt gave ₹50 lakhs to the chef placed through the company and asks him to use the money to buy a house. He said the worker subsequently bought a house in Virar.

“There are very, very good employers who are also among the celebrities, but they are a handful,” he said.

Sinhal also described less serious but concerning situations for wealthy employers, including domestic workers who are expected to stay up until 4 a.m. during parties, even if they don’t want to.

How COVID-19 has changed attitudes towards domestic workers

Sinhal said the behavior of employers has improved significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. When part-time workers could not travel to employers’ households, families had to manage domestic responsibilities alone.

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This experience, he suggested, helped employers recognize how much they were relying on domestic workers.

He also pointed to a change in language, saying workers were increasingly described as “domestic workers” rather than “servants”. For the Sinhala, this shift reflected a wider change in how their role was perceived.

While he said major incidents have become less common in households served by his company, his report highlights the importance of treating domestic work as a job that requires dignity, clear safeguards and accountability.