An oversight in trusting organisers too much: ARR

A.R. Rahman has expressed deep distress over the unfortunate events at his recent concert Marakkuma Nenjam. He indicated that he would soon gift his fans a surprise.

“It felt like a tidal wave of affection that, regrettably, we weren’t prepared to manage,” Rahman shared.

“In my role as a musician, my aim was to deliver an unforgettable performance. I had assumed the logistics were well in hand. I was praying for no rains (the show had earlier had to be cancelled due to rains). I was engrossed in the music, oblivious to the events outside. The turnout exceeded our capacity. I don’t want to blame anyone in particular. We’re in the process of gathering all the necessary information, and our fans can expect something special from us shortly,” he said.

“At the moment, we’re extremely unsettled. Our first concern was, and always will be, the safety of everyone involved, particularly women and children,” the music whizz said.

Rahman considers this a learning curve. “It makes me realise I need to extend my responsibilities beyond music. In light of recent events, it’s clear we have work to do.”

He added, “I’ve always told my family that our name will stand long after any partnerships end. Now it’s time for us to expand our purview beyond just the musical elements. We’ll ensure that such an incident is not repeated.”

“We’ve done multiple concerts in the US without any hitch because we relied on their systems. Marakkuma Nenjam might be India’s highest-grossing show to date, but the measure of a concert’s success goes beyond numbers. It’s about the experience we provide, and that is where we fell short,” he admitted.