Neha Kakkar Refused to Perform for 700 People, Lied About Melbourne Show: Organisers Claim

Neha Kakkar found herself at the centre of controversy after arriving three hours late to a concert in Melbourne this past March. The delay led to widespread criticism and videos soon surfaced showing her breaking down on stage after being booed by the audience. In response, Neha accused the organisers of misconduct, alleging that they disappeared with her payment and failed to provide basic amenities such as food, water, and hotel accommodation for her and her team.

Shortly after Neha’s public statement, Australian event organisers Pace D and Bikram Singh Randhawa stepped forward to counter her claims. Speaking with Siddharth Kannan, they shared their version of events, stating that Neha was scheduled to perform at two back-to-back shows organised by the same team—one in Sydney and the other in Melbourne.

According to them, Neha’s Sydney concert went smoothly and was attended by approximately 1,500 to 2,000 fans. However, the next day in Melbourne, the turnout dropped to around 700. It was for this show, they said, that Neha showed up three hours late, frustrating the audience who had reportedly paid up to 300 AUD (around ₹16,000) per ticket.

The organisers alleged that Neha refused to perform due to the lower turnout. “We were told she demanded a full venue before she would agree to perform,” they claimed.

Addressing Neha’s accusations regarding the technical arrangements, including a delayed sound check and unpaid sound engineers, the organisers pushed back. They said opening acts had already performed and the setup was completed well in advance, suggesting Neha’s claims were untrue.

Further disputing her allegations, they insisted that the artist and her team were provided with transportation and accommodation. “There was a whole convoy of cars and her hotel was pre-booked. She even traveled in a G-Wagon,” they stated, questioning how she could claim there was no lodging.

They also clarified the financial terms, asserting that in Australia, performers are fully compensated before traveling. “It’s a basic practice here. She was paid 100 percent in advance,” they added, noting that the poor attendance at the Melbourne show caused the organisers a loss of around 500,000 AUD.

In the wake of the backlash over her delayed appearance, Neha took to Instagram to defend herself. In a lengthy post, she claimed she had performed in Melbourne without charging a fee and reiterated that her team was denied basic services. “The organisers ran away with my money and others too. My band was not given food, hotel, or water,” she wrote. She also mentioned the disruption of their sound check due to the sound vendor not being paid, and that organisers stopped communicating altogether.

Neha Kakkar, who is known for popular songs like Badri Ki Dulhaniya, Coca Cola, Garmi, and Gali Gali, has not responded further to the organiser’s rebuttal.