(This article is authored by Alar)
AR Rahman, the Oscar-winning composer and music maestro, was supposed to perform his songs live in Chennai on September 10, 2023. But the event turned out to be a disaster, as thousands of fans were left stranded outside the venue due to overcrowding and security issues. Some even reported being molested and harassed by the crowd.
Taking to social media, The CEO of the event organiser, ACTC, Hemanth Raja, shared a video reel, with caption read, “We are with you.” He said that he took full responsibility for the fiasco and apologised to the fans who were inconvenienced. He said that it was not Rahman sir’s fault and that he did his job one hundred per cent. He also promised to provide refunds to those who bought tickets but couldn’t attend the show.
He said in the video, “Our goal was to guarantee an unforgettable night of Rahman sir’s songs for his fans. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, many couldn’t access the venue. We accept full responsibility for this and are accountable.”
"He is not one to blame. It's completely our mistake. Don't spread negativity about him. He did his job one hundred per cent and the majority were enjoyed, but we failed. We take full responsibility.” Earlier the police report stated that the event organizer ACTC Events, had hired inexperienced college students as volunteers to manage the crowd and security. The volunteers who were supposed to handle the situation lacked proper training and instruction, which resulted in coordination failure with the police and other authorities.
Furthermore, they have reassigned three IPS officers who were accountable for the event's security and have commenced an assessment of the authorizations granted for comparable occasions. The venue occurred in Adityaram Palace, Chennai, labelled ‘Markkuma Nenjam’. The show, which was supposed to be a grand celebration of Rahman’s 30th anniversary as a composer, was marred by poor management and negative reviews.
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