The recently held concert of music composer AR Rahman, titled “Marakkuma Nenjam,” in Chennai, has turned into a nightmare for thousands of fans. The event was marred by mismanagement and allegations of sexual harassment, leading to an outcry from distraught fans on social media.
The concert took place on Sunday, September 10, at the Adityaram Palace grounds on East Coast Road (ECR) in Chennai. Unfortunately, the venue was ill-equipped to handle the massive crowd of 45,000 people who showed up, resulting in long queues, traffic jams, and a lack of proper organization for ticket holders. This chaotic situation even raised concerns about the possibility of a stampede.
In the aftermath of the event, numerous fans took to social media to express their grievances. Many reported feeling claustrophobic and even suffering panic attacks due to the overcrowded conditions. Videos surfaced showing elderly attendees forced to sit on the floor due to exhaustion. Shockingly, several women also came forward with reports of sexual harassment and molestation during the concert.
The response from the event’s organizers and AR Rahman himself has left many fans dissatisfied. They feel that their concerns were not adequately addressed or taken seriously. The discontent among fans prompted several celebrities, including actor Karthi, composer Yuvan Shankar Raja, singer Shweta Mohan, and actor-politician Khushbu Sundar, to criticize the event management and show their support for Rahman.
Yuvan Shankar Raja, a renowned music composer, expressed his disappointment with the event producers and organizers in a statement posted on social media platform X. As performers, he emphasized the importance of trust placed in producers to ensure smooth operations and the well-being of fans during concerts. Yuvan also urged artists, including himself, to take an active role in planning and implementing safety measures to prevent such unfortunate situations.
He further expressed empathy for AR Rahman and stood by him amidst the unfortunate events. Yuvan acknowledged that the concert was intended to give fans a memorable night for all the right reasons, making the mishaps all the more disheartening.
The incident prompted the Tambaram City Police to launch an inquiry into reports of overcrowding and chaotic traffic on the ECR. In connection with the concert, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Law and Order), Pallikaranai, Deepa Sathyan, was transferred and placed in the “compulsory wait” category.
In light of the chaos and difficulties faced by fans at the concert, statements from Karthi, Khushbu, and Shweta Mohan also surfaced on social media. Karthi, an acclaimed actor, expressed his support for Rahman and shared his belief that the music maestro would be deeply affected by the unfortunate turn of events. Karthi’s family also attended the concert amidst the chaos, and he hoped for a resolution to the issues faced by the event.
Khushbu Sundar, an actor-politician, highlighted her daughter’s experience of being denied entry despite holding a Diamond pass. She mentioned the extensive three-hour journey it took for her daughter and her friends to reach the concert and emphasized Rahman’s commitment to ensuring his fans are never disappointed.
Singer Shweta Mohan also expressed her concern for AR Rahman and the difficulties faced by fans at the Chennai concert. She echoed the sentiment that Rahman has always prioritized the satisfaction of his fans and hoped for a resolution to the issues that occurred.
The Marakkuma Nenjam concert, initially intended to be a memorable night for AR Rahman’s fans, turned into a disappointment due to mismanagement and alleged instances of sexual harassment. As social media continues to be flooded with grievances from distressed fans, it has become clear that both event management and AR Rahman need to address the concerns raised and take necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future.