Neha Kakkar’s recent live concert in Melbourne has sparked a major controversy after she broke down on stage, having arrived three hours late for the show. The unprofessional delay left the audience restless, and they reportedly asked her to leave. However, she apologised and became emotional on stage over the inconvenience.
Later, she clarified that the organisers had not paid her team and had denied them basic necessities such as accommodation, meals, and drinking water.
Australian organisers react to the issue
However, the Australian organisers — Pace D and Bikram Singh Randhawa — have now come forward with a different version of events, casting doubt on Neha’s claims. Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, the two organisers stated that the singer had agreed to perform at two back-to-back events — one in Sydney and another in Melbourne — under the same production company.
They shared that the Sydney leg of the tour was a success, attracting between 1,500 and 2,000 attendees. In contrast, the Melbourne concert drew only around 700 people. They admitted that the crowd was upset with her for making them wait so long, especially since many fans had paid approximately 300 AUD (around Rs16,000) for tickets.

According to them, Neha refused to go on stage after seeing the limited audience turnout and insisted that the venue be filled before she would perform. “What I was told by the organiser was that she said, ‘There are just 700 people, so until you fill up the stadium, I won’t perform,’” they alleged.
Neha had earlier claimed that the organisers failed to conduct a proper sound check and did not pay the sound engineers, resulting in technical delays. However, the organisers countered that the equipment had been fully operational earlier in the event. “Everyone performed, and all the setup was complete. I don’t think what she said is true,” they responded.
Pace D and Bikram also claimed that all necessary arrangements had been made. They confirmed that she had been provided with suitable accommodation and luxurious travel vehicles in Australia. “Even before the artiste flies to Australia, they are fully paid. She was 100 per cent paid in advance — this is something very basic in Australia,” they added.

They further clarified that a hotel had been reserved and transportation arranged. In their defence, the organisers stressed that due to the low turnout and Neha’s delay, the event suffered major financial setbacks, with reported losses amounting to 500,000 AUD.
Anyway, Neha’s team has not reacted to these claims as of now.
Neha’s initial reaction
Neha’s first reaction, following the viral video of her crying on stage, read: “Do you 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, a hotel, or even water. Do you know our sound check was delayed by hours because the sound vendor was not paid and refused to switch the sound on? And when, after so much delay, our sound check finally began, I could not reach the venue. We didn’t even know if the concert was happening, as the organisers stopped taking my manager’s calls.”

On the fifth anniversary of Irrfan Khan’s passing, his son Babil Khan shared an emotional message remembering his father. Posting an old photo together, Babil expressed his deep yearning to reunite with Irrfan and promised that when that moment arrives, he will hold him close.
Nostalgic Throwback Photo
Babil shared a throwback photo on his Instagram, showing him resting against Irrfan Khan’s shoulder while both sport sunglasses and pose playfully. Along with the photo, he penned a note, “With you, without you. Life goes on… With me, without me. Soon I’ll be there. With you, not without you. And we will run together, and fly, Drink from waterfalls, pink not blue. I will hug you so tight, and I will cry, Then we’ll laugh, just like we used to. I miss you.”
Irrfan Khan’s Battle and Last Film
After several years of battle with a neuroendocrine tumor, Irrfan Khan died on April 29, 2020, at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital. His final film appearance was in ‘Angrezi Medium’, released in 2020 just a month before his passing.
Shoojit Sircar’s Heartfelt Tribute
‘Piku’ director Shoojit Sircar also penned a heartfelt note, remembering the late actor. He wrote, “Friend, wherever you are, I know you’re doing well and have probably made many new friends there. I’m sure people have fallen in love with your charm, as we all have. Here, I’m doing fine. But there’s one thing you might not be aware of Irfaan – just how much you’re loved and missed here. You’d be surprised. I miss our jhal muri sessions and the laughter we shared. Your discussions on the magic of life were always fascinating. I cherish those moments. Remember our long conversations about spiritualism and science when you were in London? Those talks were incredibly deep.”
“I’ve got the books you recommended, and I often think about our discussions on life and death. Your smile and those mystical eyes of yours are etched in my memory. It’s not easy living every day without you; there’s a huge vacuum. Irfaan, I wanted to let you know that Babil and Ayan are doing well. Babil and I play football together, and I’ve become a bit of a guardian to him. Don’t worry, I’m looking out for him. Sutapa and I talk often. Me and Ronnie, we’ve just finished a film project with Babil. He’s growing into a fine artist, slowly carving his own space in the industry. I’m sure he’s on the right path, just like you always envisioned. I know you’re watching over us from wherever you are, and that’s a comfort. There’s so much to talk about, but for now, I’ll just say adieu, friend. Lots of love”, he added.
Babil Khan’s Recent Work
Meanwhile, Babil was recently seen in ‘Logout’.