01 June,2026 05:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ilaiyaraaja (pic via X)
Music composer Ilaiyaraaja brought a grand musical experience to Chennai over the weekend with his first-ever symphony, Valiant, at the Nehru Outdoor Stadium on May 30. The following day, he returned for a marathon three-and-a-half-hour concert, performing several of his timeless classics. While audiences appreciated the legendary composer's performance, many criticised the event's management and organisation.
Several attendees complained about poor crowd management, inadequate facilities, and a lack of proper guidance at the venue.
The event was reportedly organised by ACTC Events. The company had previously faced backlash over the Marakkuma Nenjam concert in 2023 due to alleged mismanagement. Following the concert, many attendees took to X to express their disappointment.
One audience member highlighted the absence of volunteers to guide attendees, the small LED screens, and poor audio quality. The user also claimed they had to leave the concert midway because of the poor arrangements.
Another attendee pointed out that the concert began 45 minutes late and was followed by a 30-minute speech by the organisers. They further alleged that many seats were covered in bird droppings, people were occupying random seats, and there was no staff present to monitor the seating arrangements.
Food prices at the venue also became a talking point, with some attendees calling them unreasonably high.
The concert began with the divine Janani Janani song and included many superhit songs including Madai Thirandhu, Aanandha Ragam, Megam Kottatum, Raakama Kaiyathattu, Intha Maan, Oru Jeevan Azhaithadhu, Raja Raja Chozhan Naan, Vanithamani, Thendral Vandhu Ennai Thodum and ended with En Jodi Manja Kuruvi.
Despite the criticism around the arrangements and the poor experience, many fans praised Ilaiyaraaja's performance and called it a rare musical experience. His admirers were taken aback by watching him perform live for long hours are such an age, admiring his dedication to his craft. Admirers celebrated the composer for bringing a large-scale symphonic performance to Chennai and introducing local audiences to a grand orchestral sound.
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian musician, composer, arranger, conductor, orchestrator, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist and playback singer popular for his works in Indian cinema, predominantly in Tamil in addition to Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi films
