GONE in a blink. Tickets are sold out within hours after opening for sales. That’s the demand for live Indian music concerts held in Malaysia. 

The influx of Indian concerts held here post Covid-19 pandemic is mind-boggling as they continue to draw crowds despite concerns over the rise in prices of goods as well as global inflation. 

According to statistics provided to The Malaysian Insight by the Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (Puspal), a total of 44 Indian concerts have been held in Malaysia from 2022 to date. 

That averages to 1.5 shows every month. 

Composers, singers, choreographers and top celebrities from South India, especially from the Tamil movie industry, never miss the opportunity to perform in Malaysia. 

With a huge Tamil-speaking population here, Malaysia is a dominant destination for those from the Tamil movie industry or famously known as Kollywood. 

Almost all top music composers from South India have performed live here. These include Oscar Award winner and famous composer AR Rahman, Haris Jeyaraj, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Anirudh, Vidyasagar, Deva and others.

These A-list celebrities not only draw locals, but they also attract tourists from neighbouring countries, which gives Malaysia an economic boost through concert tourism. 

According to Shiva Ramana, founder of Venus Production, Malaysia has a new breed of “concert-goers”. 

“I think people missed going to concerts (during the forced shutdowns caused by the pandemic),” Shiva told The Malaysian Insight. 

“Today’s generation of people are more of concert-goers compared to the previous generation.

“I think they make sure the venues are full. Besides that, there are also people who are coming to enjoy the vibe and have a good time,” he added. 

Established in 2019 with co-founder Ram Kumar, Venus Production have organised nine concerts to date. 

He said that the type of concerts and the artists on their lists ultimately determine the pull of the audience. 

“The artists put in a lot of hard work to make the concerts fascinating and spellbinding,” he said. 

Shiva pointed to the “The name is Vidyasagar” concert held in Axiata Arena and the “The Musical Tribute of Raaja & Rahman” held in Zepp Kuala Lumpur as among the pinnacles of their projects. 

“It is all about giving value. It must be worth the money they are paying for.

“That is where we achieved with the two above mentioned concerts. People said it was worth every penny.

“These concerts are definitely a feather in our cap,” he said. 

Not always profitable

When asked about the profits made by concert organisers and the buying power of the people, Shiva said that the matter was very subjective.

He said his production company Venus, which plays with the phrase “We n Us”, was looking at providing value for the money spent rather than just looking at profits. 

“Attracting by selling has never been part of our vision. It has always been about giving and sharing value. 

“Hence, if you ask me if all the concerts are making profits? Then definitely it’s a no.

“Just like other businesses, there are ups and downs. This is not something that conforms to Indian events only. Take any other events, let it be Korean, Chinese or Malay concerts… I think they are only a handful of profitable projects. 

“So, are organisers banking on Indian concerts? I highly doubt that,” he said. 

With almost all concerts held are sold out, Shiva said that the buying power does not depend on one’s financial strength but on preferences of the buyer. 

“For us, it is about being fair with the pricing. It won’t be fair if we charge exuberant rates for tickets at one corner of the stadium.

“I know of people who can afford the costlier tickets but buy tickets at the cheaper zones. 

“Those buying the cheaper tickets are not because they can’t afford it but it is about their preference. 

“For VIP tickets, they get more thrown in. That is the added value they pay for. So, people can decide and buy tickets for whichever zones they prefer. 

“The most important fact here is to make these people part of the event, for them to have an enjoyable, happy experience, let it be at the VIP seats or at the cheapest ticket sold,” he said, adding that Venus Production offers the cheapest ticket pricing in the industry. 

According to Shiva, a domestic concert with international artists on the cards cost up to RM2 million onwards. 

Tickets are sold from anywhere from about RM80 to RM1,300, depending on who’s heading the act.

Shiva said that his production company is currently collaborating with Star Planet for the “AR Rahman Live in Kuala Lumpur 2024” concert, which will be held on July 27. 

The cheapest ticket for this show, to be held at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, is RM98 while the VIP ticket is RM1,288.

On future plans, Shiva said that they have several projects lined up.

To unwind and relax

As for Kogilavani Jnanasikhary, attending concerts interests her as it allows her to unwind and relax.

According to her, she attends most of the Indian concerts held in Kuala Lumpur.

“I’ve probably missed a few due to my work but besides that, I’ve attended all the other concerts held in Kuala Lumpur,” the senior financial adviser said. 

The 34-year-old said she budgets around RM400 for tickets per concert of her liking. 

“I choose tickets based on the experience I’d like to have. 

“If the concert is more melody based, then I’ll choose the seated tickets but if the concert has the vibe, then I’ll get the standing ones which are closer to the stage as we can dance and vibe.

“For AR Rahman’s concert, I’ll choose the slightly pricey ticket because I want to have the view and enjoy the experience,” she said, adding that she will allocate a certain amount from her earnings to attend concerts. 

Kogilavani said she had enjoyed the concerts by AR Rahman, Hariharan, Harris Jayaraj, Anirudh and Sid Sriram among others. 

Kogilavani also said that she usually plans for the concerts ahead of time with her friends.

Meanwhile, Rathanee Datchnamoorthy, 34, has also attended all the major Indian concerts held here. 

However, according to her, she has her own preferences when choosing which concerts to attend. 

“I like the ones which offer melodious music like AR Rahman, Harris Jayaraj and Vidyasagar,” she said, adding that she skipped the concert by Santhosh Narayanan and Vijay Anthony because she felt it was more for the “2K” people.

Rathanee, who works as a supervisor at a private organisation, said she was content with the pricing of the tickets for the Indian concerts held here.

According to Rathanee, who hails from Kuala Lumpur, she would be willing to spend about RM200 for each concert.

“For me, it is not about getting costlier tickets or so. What matters for me is to be part of the concert and enjoy the vibe and have good memories.

“These concerts are definitely a stress reliever,” she said. 

Rathanee, who usually attends these concerts with a group of her friends, said that she would be expecting a good selection of songs, singers and a quality sound system and stage setup at these events. 

Both Kogilavani and Rathanee will be attending the AR Rahman concert next month. – June 13, 2024.