AR Rahman responds to reports of stampede-like situation at his Chennai concert

CHENNAI: Music maestro A R Rahman’s latest concert in Chennai turned out to be a nightmare for his fans.

On Sunday, Rahman performed at a concert titled ‘Marakuma Nenjam’ at Adityaram Palace in Chennai’s Paniyur. However, he failed to win the audience’s hearts this time.

Several fans who attended Rahman’s concert took to social media and called out the organisers for poor crowd management.

Many concertgoers mentioned that they witnessed a stampede-like situation at the event. They also complained about the low volume, making the performance hardly audible for those away from the stage. Some claimed that they were denied entry.

Renowned film trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan shared a video of a disappointed fan tearing up their concert tickets.

“Disappointed #ARRahman fan tore #MarakkumaNenjam concert tickets and says this is indeed an unforgettable event and the worst gift from A R Rahman to the people”, Manobala Vijayabalan tweeted.

After severe backlash, ACTC Events took to X to extend their apology. Their post on X stated, “Grateful to Chennai and the legendary @arrahman Sir! The incredible response, the overwhelming crowd made our show a massive success. Those who couldn’t attend because of overcrowding, Our sincere apologies. We take full responsibility and accountable. We are with you. #MarakkumaNenjam (sic).”

Rahman also addressed the situation. He took to X and promised ticket refunds. “Dearest Chennai Makkale, those of you who purchased tickets and weren’t able to enter owing to unfortunate circumstances, please do share a copy of your ticket purchase to arr4chennai@btos.in along with your grievances. Our team will respond asap. @BToSproductions @actcevents,” he tweeted.

In another post, Rahman wrote, ” some people call me G.O.A.T …………let me be the sacrificial goat this time for all of us to wake up ..let Chennai’s live art flourish with a world class infrastructure, increase in tourism, efficient crowd management, traffic management, refining audiences to follow rules…creating a safe and surreal experience for children and women…Triggering a cultural renaissance at Chennai celebrating our deserving, illuminated local and international talent”. (ANI)