Two years after the infamous Marakkuma Nenjam concert in Chennai collapsed into chaos, thousands of AR Rahman fans continue to wait for full refunds, despite assurances, interviews, public apologies, and even an email sent in Rahman’s name promising compensation and a “surprise.”
The September 2023 event, organised by ACTC Events at Adityaram Palace, became one of Tamil Nadu’s worst-managed large-scale shows. The fiasco left families stranded outside locked gates, thousands crushed in overcrowded entry points, and many who paid as much as ₹1 lakh for tickets unable to even enter the venue. Today, several attendees say that they have received only partial refunds or none at all.
A Crisis That Began With Overselling and Overcrowding
The controversy erupted when the venue, spread across only 5–6 acres, was used to host a crowd far beyond its capacity. While permission was granted for 25,000 attendees, ACTC claimed to have sold 36,000 tickets and issued 4,000 free passes. Public estimates suggested the numbers were far higher.
The venue itself could accommodate only around 7,000–8,000 people comfortably. Insufficient parking space, no clear entry or exit points, and a near-total absence of toilets, drinking water, or first-aid facilities compounded the crisis.
Video evidence later showed volunteers verbally abusing attendees and security personnel failing to manage the crowd. There were also reports of physical altercations and medical emergencies with no ambulances in sight.
Organisers Shift Blame, Issue Late Apology
Hemanth Raja, CEO of ACTC Events, appeared on Thanthi TV after widespread outrage but failed to provide clear answers. He denied overselling and instead alleged that duplicate tickets—particularly of complimentary passes—had caused the surge in attendees.
He also admitted that the company had aimed to “break attendance records,” seeking to push far beyond the approved limit.
While calling the event’s outcome “inconvenience,” he conceded that choosing the ECR location was a mistake. But his explanations did little to address the trauma felt by families, children, and elderly attendees who faced suffocation-level crowding and were forced to leave without witnessing the concert.
A Mass Email From Rahman, but No Meaningful Resolution
Following massive backlash, fans received a mass email signed in A.R. Rahman’s name, apologising for the distress caused and promising refunds along with an unspecified “surprise.” Many recipients, however, found the message impersonal, an automated template asking for bank details, tickets, and receipts.
Critics questioned why Rahman, who had gone live on Instagram to address the postponement of the earlier August concert, did not issue a similar personal message or video after the September disaster.
Two years later, fans report that the promised surprise never arrived, and refunds remain incomplete.
ACTC Promises Refunds After Outcry—but Delivery Remains Patchy, Even After 2 Years
As anger reached its peak in 2023, ACTC’s CEO posted a video stating:
- AR Rahman was “not to blame” and had only performed.
- ACTC bore full responsibility.
- Refunds would be issued to all who paid “in a proper manner.”
Yet multiple attendees say they have never received the compensation promised, and many state that ACTC has stopped responding altogether.
Two Years Later, the Pain Remains
For fans, the memory of the night remains vivid; hours spent in crowds without information, police turning them away despite valid tickets, children crying, and elderly attendees collapsing from heat and pressure.
And for thousands who still wait for accountability and their rightful refunds, the frustration continues.
Two years have passed since the fiasco and for many, all they have received is silence.
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