Netizens target Rahman once again. Composer AR Rahman finds himself embroiled in a controversy following his recent Chennai concert titled 'Marakkuma Nenjam,' which has come under scrutiny due to severe mismanagement issues. Both Rahman and the event organizers, ACTC Events, have faced criticism for their failure in crowd control, resulting in a chaotic situation where women were allegedly molested, and children were left displaced. In response, the two parties have committed to providing refunds to those denied entry due to overcrowding. However, Rahman's actions in the midst of this backlash have stirred further controversy.
Held at Adityaram Palace in Chennai on September 10, Rahman's concert drew a massive audience of over 45,000 attendees. Yet, the event soon took a troubling turn, leading to significant public outcry. On September 24, Rahman took to his social media platforms to share a four-minute video from the Chennai concert. Although his team had disabled comments on the video, public sentiment was quick to emerge. Many criticized Rahman, questioning the timing of the video release and accusing him of being "tone-deaf" and "insensitive" in the wake of the incident.
It's worth noting that AR Rahman's concert was originally scheduled for August 12 but was abruptly canceled due to adverse weather conditions. It was subsequently rescheduled for September 10, promoted as India's biggest concert and attracting a crowd of over 45,000.
However, for many attendees, the Chennai concert turned into a distressing experience. Reports of harassment and inadequate crowd management prompted the Tambaram police to register a case. Following an investigation, the police filed a case against ACTC Events under two sections.
Amid this controversy, AR Rahman's team has been making efforts to reach out to those who were unable to enter the venue despite holding valid tickets. Hemanth Raja, head of ACTC Events, issued an apology video in which he expressed remorse for all the inconvenience caused and assured affected attendees of refunds.