The organisers of singer Neha Kakkar's Melbourne concert “ran away” with her and her team’s payment, she said in a statement on Thursday, days after she was booed and heckled for arriving three hours late at the venue.
Videos of Kakkar crying and apologising to the audience at the March 23 concert went viral on social media.
“Do you all know that I performed absolutely Free for my Melbourne audience? The organisers ran away with my money and others too. My band was not even given food, hotel and even water. My husband and his boys went and provided them with food. In spite of all this we still went on stage and did the show without any rest or anything because there my fans were waiting for hours for me,” wrote the 36-year-old singer, explaining the delay.
Kakkar also revealed that the sound vendor refused to run a sound check ahead of the concert as the organisers had not paid him. “And when after so much of delay our sound check started, I could not reach the venue, couldn't do the sound check, we did not even know if the concert is happening because the organisers stopped picking my manager's calls because apparently they were running away from the sponsors and everyone,” wrote Kakkar.
The former Indian Idol judge expressed gratitude to those who had supported her on that day and have stood by her since then amid the social media uproar.
“I want to Thank all those people who spoke so beautifully for me, as if all this happened to them personally. I really appreciate all the efforts they all took to clarify my situation. I'm always gonna be thankful to all of them who attended my concert that day and cried with me and even danced their hearts out,” she concluded.
Earlier this week, videos of Kakkar breaking down in tears had gone viral on social media. The clips show Kakkar apologising to the audience, saying, “Guys, you are really sweet. You have been patient. Itni der se aap log wait kar rahe ho. I hate it, maine life mein kabhi kisi ko wait nahi karwaya hai. Aap itni der se wait kar rahe ho (You have been waiting for me for so long. I hate it, I have never made anyone wait in my life but you are waiting for me).”
However, her apology did not sit well with everyone. While some in the audience clapped to encourage her, others criticised her for being “unprofessional”.
The viral video captures concertgoers expressing their frustration. One attendee can be heard shouting, “Go back. Rest in your hotel.” Another remarked, “This is not India, you’re in Australia.” A third added, “Very good acting! Yeh Indian Idol nahi hai. Bachchon ke saath nahi gaa rahi ho (This isn’t Indian Idol, you are not singing with the kids).”