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Celebrated Singer-Composer AR Rahman’s September 10 live concert, Marakkuma Nenjam, in Chennai, was a chaotic affair with the stampede-like situation, which resulted in the alleged molestation of many women fans who took to social media to share their ordeals. A permission letter copy of the event is now going viral which reveals that thousands of tickets were oversold for the event by the organizers. After a high-profile probe was launched into the event, it has now come to the fore that the entire episode was a classic case of mismanagement. The venue was reportedly crowded beyond its capacity, resulting in the disappointment of many fans – who had gathered to witness the musical maestro’s magic, but were unable to enter.
AR Rahman’s concert organized by ACTC Events has now found itself mired in controversies as chaos prevailed in the beyond-crowded stadium, leading to a nightmarish experience for concert-goers who had to return to avoid dire circumstances. Many women fans also took to social media to share how they were molested and groped by men during the disorganised event.
Now, a permission letter copy of the event is going viral which shows the concert organisers have only obtained permission for 20,000 people while selling over 41,000 tickets (36,000 normal+ 5,000 complimentary). “The show shall be completely digitally ticketed and shall have a total audience of 20000 people across 7 divisions. We shall also have celebrities and state-level dignitaries attending the show,” an excerpt from the permission letter directed to the Commissioner of Police, Tambaram read.
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BREAKING: #ARRahman concert organizers have obtained permission for only 20,000 people.
But sold 41,000 tickets [36,000 normal+ 5,000 complimentary]
Permission letter copy. pic.twitter.com/oth5yERuY8
— Manobala Vijayabalan (@ManobalaV) September 13, 2023
All the fans who had to return home had valid tickets but were left agonized after they found there was no space to enter. Additionally, the organisers did not house any VIP section despite selling separate tickets at exorbitant prices. According to a complaint filed against the organisers, VIP tickets were sold at Rs 50,000 but there was no VIP zone at the venue. Moreover, traffic congestion in the area also added difficulties for the attendees as well as the passersby as no arrangement to tackle the crowd was made by the organisers despite knowing the capacity in which tickets were sold.
The police, too, were unresponsive to the situation, with many attendees facing life-threatening situations due to lack of order. Fans who arrived early and managed to enter the space were suffocated inside the tightly packed venue, forcing them to exit at the soonest.
All this happened while the management including the singer remained oblivious of the situation. Later, reacting to the event, AR Rahman told The Hindu, “It was a tsunami of people and love that we were unable to handle.” The Oscar-winning composer said he thought his job was limited to giving a terrific show and rest everything would be taken care of.
Unfortunately, not everything was taken care of, and this has now led to an uproar on social media with netizens demanding an apology from AR Rahman at the least.
Amid the backlash, many South Indian celebrities, including Karthi, have come out in support of AR Rahman.
What are your thoughts on the AR Rahman’s mismanaged concert? Let us know in the space below.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more South news updates.
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