T.N. MLA moves Madras High Court against film music composer Anirudh Ravichander’s Hukum World Tour concert

The Madras High Court on Friday (August 22, 2025) agreed to hear on the same day an urgent writ petition to be moved against film music composer Anirudh Ravichander’s concert to be held at Seekinamkuppam near Kuvathur on the East Coast Road (ECR) in Chennai on Saturday (August 23, 2025), as part of his Hukum World Tour.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh accepted a request for a lunch motion (hearing of a case post lunch) moved by advocate R. Thirumoorthy on behalf of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) ‘Panaiyur’ Babu alias M. Babu, who represents the Cheyyur Assembly constituency in Chengalpattu district.

The counsel told the court that the MLA had received representations from the local residents, expressing concern over the conduct of the concert in their locality without putting in place adequate safety and other infrastructural requirements, especially when 30,000 people were expected to participate in it.

Subsequently, in an affidavit filed before the Registry, the MLA said: “I inspected the venue just two days before the event and to my shock, no visible safety arrangements have been put in place. There are no temporary restrooms or sanitation facilities, and there is no sign of potable water stations or medical aid booths.”

The MLA also claimed that fire safety arrangements were glaringly absent and no evacuation plan had been formulated. “The approach road to the concert venue is a narrow 30-feet-wide rural road, which is wholly inadequate to handle the vehicular traffic. This single approach road would become a choke point,” he feared.

Further, pointing out that the stretch of ECR from Mamallapuram to Marakkanam was currently being converted from two lanes into four lanes, Mr. Babu said, the conduct of concert on a venue along this stretch would increase the vehicular traffic problem manifold due to the ongoing construction work and resultant diversions.

“I reliably understand that proper permission has not been obtained by the concert organiser from various authorities such as the fire service, electricity department, and public health department,” the petitioner said. He complained that the police had granted permission for the concert despite being apprised of the threats.

“These concerns are not merely speculative. Recent incidents have proven how dangerous an ill-planned mass event can become. In particular, I draw your attention to the A.R. Rahman’s Marakkuma Nenjam concert fiasco that occurred on ECR in September 2023. That event turned into a nightmare due to overcrowding and mismanagement,” the MLA told the court.

The petitioner sought a direction to the Chengalpattu Collector to prevent Primark Productions Private Limited and Brand Avatar from conducting Mr. Ravichander’s concert at Seekinamkuppam on Saturday, or at least postpone the event until the necessary safety arrangements could be made.