A few weeks after the city witnessed controversy and chaos around the much-hyped Messi event, another large-scale entertainment show in Kolkata has landed in trouble. A New Year’s Eve party held at Westside Pavilion on 31 December allegedly descended into chaos, with several attendees complaining of severe mismanagement, overcrowding and shortage of food and beverages, despite paying premium ticket prices.
The event, Countdown Beats 2026, was promoted as one of the biggest New Year celebrations in the city, promising unlimited buffet and drinks between 9pm and 1am, immersive experiences and multiple high-profile performances. Tickets, including VIP passes, were priced between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000. However, guests claimed that the arrangements on ground were inadequate to handle the crowd.
Kolkata-based content creator Priyanka Basak, who posted a reel narrating her experience, said that even the VIP section was in disarray. “The event promised unlimited food and drinks with food coupons, but when we reached, the food was not sufficient at all. People were literally pushing and rushing for food as if they might not get anything to eat,” she said. According to her, there was chaos over a single plate of pasta, followed by arguments and physical scuffles. “Tables were broken, bottles were smashed and there was vandalism at the bar counter. Eventually, the organisers had to stop the show,” she added.
Another attendee, Dr Poojanjali, also a content creator, wrote on social media that she returned home with her family before midnight without having any food, drinks or witnessing any performances. “This was claimed to be the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration in Kolkata. We went with VIP passes worth Rs 4,999 each and had to leave before 12am with no guest performance whatsoever,” she wrote, comparing the experience to the Messi event controversy and blaming the organisers for poor crowd and resource management.
Several attendees echoed similar complaints online, alleging that they did not see any of the advertised performances and could not access the buffet or bar counters due to overcrowding. Many have since demanded refunds, questioning how tickets continued to be sold despite limited capacity.
As criticism mounted, Westside Pavilion issued a clarification stating that it was only the venue provider and had no role in planning, execution, ticket sales, crowd management, or food and beverage service. The management said all responsibilities rested with the event organiser and their authorised ticketing partners.
Police were called in to control the situation as tensions escalated, and some people were reportedly taken into custody. The event organisers are yet to issue a detailed response addressing the allegations or refund demands.