The live concert by musician AR Rahman, titled “Marakkuma Nenjam” (meaning “Can the heart forget”) in Chennai on Sunday, turned into a chaotic and disorganized event for attendees.
The concert venue was marred by a series of issues, including severe traffic jams, frustrated attendees who had paid significant sums for tickets but were denied entry, crying children, and a general atmosphere of commotion.
Numerous individuals took to social media platforms to express their grievances about their inability to reach the venue. The scenic East Coast Road (ECR) witnessed severe traffic congestion, which reportedly even impacted the movement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s convoy, as reported by the news agency PTI.
Today, AR Rahman also came forward and wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “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.”
The concert’s organizers, ACTC Events, publicly acknowledged their “full responsibility” for the situation.
ACTC Events issued an apology on X, stating, “We are grateful to Chennai and the legendary @arrahman Sir! The incredible response and overwhelming crowd made our show a massive success. To those unable to attend due to overcrowding, our sincere apologies. We take full responsibility and are accountable. We stand with you. #MarakkumaNenjam (sic).”
Among the numerous critical comments on social media, one attendee labeled the event as the “worst concert ever in history” and accused ACTC of a “scam” in 2023. The comment urged respect for humanity and expressed deep disappointment in AR Rahman. It concluded with a sentiment of not being able to forget the experience.
Another comment described the chaotic scene, with many attendees warning others not to enter. In the ensuing chaos, some were pushed, shoved, or even trampled, resulting in injuries. The massive crowd left no space, and the crowded environment caused people to faint.
Additionally, a frustrated concert-goer mentioned that she had paid Rs 30,000 for her family’s tickets and alleged that children had been mistreated.
Many attendees reported that it took them hours to reach the venue, only to be unable to gain access due to overcrowding and mismanagement of the entire event.
