The highly anticipated Coldplay concert in India, scheduled for January 19-21, 2025, is facing uncertainty as the CEO of BookMyShow’s parent company, Big Tree Entertainment, Ashish Hemrajani, has skipped two summons issued by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW). This comes amidst allegations of black market ticket sales for the concert.
The EOW summoned Hemrajani to appear on September 27, but he did not respond. A second summons was issued on September 30, and he again failed to appear, instead sending the company’s COO, Anil Makhija. This has led to speculation and concern amongst fans regarding the concert’s fate.
The investigation began after Shiv Sena (UBT faction) spokesperson Anand Dubey wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, urging him to probe the alleged black-marketing of tickets. The initial complaint was filed by advocate Amit Vyas, who accused BookMyShow of facilitating the resale of tickets at inflated prices. Vyas claimed that genuine users were logged out or blocked, allowing third parties to purchase tickets at exorbitant rates. Tickets initially priced at ₹ 2,500 were reportedly being sold by influencers and third parties for ₹ 3 lakh.
BookMyShow had started selling tickets for the Coldplay concert on September 22, with the tickets selling out in a matter of minutes. This led to the resale of tickets at significantly inflated prices, with tickets originally priced at ₹ 3,500 being sold for ₹ 3 lakh. Subsequently, BookMyShow issued a warning on X (formerly Twitter) cautioning users against illegitimate platforms selling fake tickets for the concert.
Social media has been flooded with reactions from disappointed fans who are concerned about the potential cancellation of the concert. Some users have expressed their views on X, expressing their disappointment and frustration with the situation. The controversy has also raised concerns about the reputation of foreign artists performing in India, as some users fear that such incidents could discourage future performances by international musicians.
The EOW is currently investigating the matter and will continue to pursue the investigation. The fate of the Coldplay concert remains uncertain until further developments arise, leaving fans anxiously awaiting updates and hoping that the concert will proceed as planned.
