Diljit Dosanjh's Concerts: Is India Prepared for Mega Events?

Balraj Singh, a Delhi University professor, was excited to attend Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh's Dil-Luminati tour in Delhi last year. While he expected some challenges like traffic and crowds, the experience at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium exceeded his worst fears. As a first time attendee, Singh found the event's management to be poor, with issues ranging from a parking area far from the entry gate to disorganised food stalls and unsanitary temporary washrooms. The overall infrastructure and organisation were disappointing.

During his December 14 concert in Chandigarh, Diljit Dosanjh announced he would not perform in the city again until infrastructure improves. Expressing disappointment over the inadequate facilities for concerts in India, he urged the government to focus on this sector, which generates significant revenue and jobs. Diljit also shared plans for future concerts with immersive stage setups for the audience.

When he launched his tour in New Delhi, he echoed similar concerns, noting that his team had hoped for a larger stage but could only use the space permitted by authorities. His statement about not performing in India soon went viral, prompting a clarification from him. Despite the clarification, his comments raised the question: Is India ready for large-scale events?

Concert economy on the rise in India

The Bank of Baroda report highlights the growing buzz around international and domestic artists performing in India, “On one hand, it’s a new dimension of cultural prestige adding an edge to the ‘experience economy’, on the other hand, the beat is also felt in terms of spending dynamics,” the report mentions.

It notes that this trend adds cultural prestige while boosting spending dynamics. The concert sector has the potential to generate Rs 6,000-8,000 crore annually if further developed.

Demand for live concerts has surged in India, driven by rising disposable income and a willingness to spend. In 2024, major artists like Dua Lipa, Bryan Adams, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, and Diljit Dosanjh performed in India. According to BookMyShow’s 2024 year-end report, 30,687 live events were held across 319 cities, marking an 18 percent increase in live event consumption. Revenue data from Statista places India 7th globally, ahead of South Korea, Australia, and France.

Further, hosting major concerts has a multiplier effect across several industries including food and beverages, hotels, transportation, and merchandise among others. It also stimulates the gig economy, thereby adding to the employment levels.

Upcoming concerts in 2025

An EY report titled ‘The music creator economy’ reveals that music concerts in India generated nearly Rs 800 crore in 2023, with a projected 25 percent increase by 2025. The demand for tickets this year is expected to draw even bigger crowds, starting with Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ tour in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, followed by Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics tour across six cities.

Homegrown artists like Arijit Singh, Shreya Goshal, and Sonu Nigam will also perform, catering to a youth demographic willing to pay between Rs 2,000 and Rs 35,000 for tickets, with some opting for premium or VIP experiences. The BMS report highlights a 123 percent rise in fans choosing premium options. However, the question remains: do these premium experiences justify the cost? Crowd experience at concerts   Harpreet, a frequent concert goer who attended Karan Aujla's ‘It Was All a Dream’ concert in Gurugram, expressed disappointment with the event's management. Despite spending Rs 6,000 on a ticket, he didn’t see the artist once. He also noted severe traffic issues and a lack of police presence. Within the first 25 minutes of Aujla's entrance, the venue ran out of beer, revealing poor preparation. Comparing it to Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Toronto, where 55,000 attended with great security and management, Harpreet felt the issues at Aujla’s concert, including fights among attendees, could have been avoided with better policing.

Sudarshana, an employee at a French B2B SaaS company, also attended Diljit’s concert in Delhi, which was held in December 2024. She said, “The overall experience at AP Dhillon’s concert was better as compared to Diljit Dosanjh, in terms of venue and the management of the food and beverage stalls.” However, she felt the audio at Diljit’s concert could have been improved, especially considering it was held in an open stadium.

Challenges faced in hosting concerts

Skillbox Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Anmol Kukreja to understand the challenges that come with organising concerts on such a large scale. Commenting on what it takes to organise a concert like that of Diljit Dosanjh or Coldplay, Kukreja said, “Organising a large-scale concert demands precision, collaboration, and expertise. It involves planning across key areas such as artist management, venue selection, production, logistics, security, ticketing, marketing, and audience experience. Every detail, from sound and lighting to crowd control and on-ground branding, must work seamlessly. Strong financial backing, sponsorships, and reliable execution partners are essential to bring such events to life.”