Musician AR Rahman responded on Monday to a barrage of criticism, both on and off social media, regarding the chaos at his concert in Chennai on September 10th. He encouraged individuals who had purchased tickets but were unable to enter the venue due to unfortunate circumstances to get in touch with the event organizers to express their grievances.
In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Rahman addressed the Chennai audience, saying, “Dearest Chennai Makkale, those of you who bought tickets but couldn’t enter due to unforeseen circumstances, please share a copy of your ticket purchase with your complaints at arr4chennai@btos.in. Our team will respond as soon as possible.”
Rahman also shared this message on his Instagram account and added a second message, where he offered himself as a “sacrificial goat” this time. He expressed his hope that Chennai would develop world-class infrastructure for such events, emphasizing the importance of efficient crowd management, traffic control, and adherence to rules to create a safe and enjoyable experience, particularly for children and women. He envisioned this as a way to trigger a cultural renaissance in Chennai, celebrating local and international talent.
In response to the issues surrounding the concert’s organization, the Tamil Nadu police initiated an investigation. Director General of Police (DGP) Shankar Jiwal instructed the Tambaram police to examine the traffic and other arrangements for the concert, including the possible overselling of tickets. Reports indicated that approximately 50,000 people attended the concert, surpassing the expected 20,000 attendees.
The social media backlash was fueled by video clips posted by attendees who claimed they were denied entry despite holding valid passes. Many posts alleged that the organizers had oversold tickets, leading to overcrowding.
The concert, titled Marakkuma Nenjam, was organized by ACTC Events and had initially been scheduled for August but was postponed due to heavy rain.
In response to the criticism, ACTC Events acknowledged the overwhelming success of the concert and issued an apology to those who were unable to attend due to overcrowding. They took full responsibility for the situation and expressed their support for those affected.
On X, some attendees described the concert’s management as the “worst ever.” Complaints included the absence of adequate security, overselling of tickets, off-center seating in VIP areas, lack of a clear stage view, and the absence of bouncers to manage entry areas, resulting in confusion.
One attendee, Sridevi Sreedhar, pointed out various issues, such as the lack of clearly defined entry points and the mixing of different zones, even within the VIP area.
In summary, AR Rahman’s response and the subsequent police investigation shed light on the challenges faced during the organization of the concert and the need for improved event management and infrastructure in Chennai.