This means the band would have to pay less than Rs 2 crore for what would have otherwise cost it over Rs 7 crore
British band Coldplay is getting it all for a song in Mumbai. The MMRDA ground, where the band is going to perform, is its 'Paradise'. For one, the state government has given the organisers, Global Citizen Festival, a 75 per cent discount on ground charges for the band's concert. This means they would have to pay less than Rs 2 crore for what would have otherwise cost it over Rs 7 crore.
The benevolence of the Fadnavis government doesn't end there. Sources tell DNA that the Revenue Department is contemplating a relaxation in entertainment tax also.
The official explanation for the move is that Global Citizen, the organiser, is into social causes like education, gender equality, water and sanitation. The large-heartedness of the debt-laden Fadnavis government, however, is not winning it many fans. When tickets for the event costs between Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh, and have been sold out, are these relaxations justified?
The event, Global Citizen Festival, will be held on MMRDA grounds on November 19. It will witness performance by Coldplay and Jay Z from the international circuit. And it's going to be a 'Sky Full of Stars'. AR Rahman, Farhan Akhtar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, Katrina Kaif, Arijit Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, Arjun Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Dia Mirza, Monali Thakur, Malaika Arora Khan, Parineeti Chopra, Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Sakshi Malik and Vijender Singh, will all be there.
The decision to grant the relaxation was taken by a meeting of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself.
Though regular tickets have been sold out, a message on a popular ticket booking portal reads: "Our regular tickets are sold out, but with over 80% of the tickets available for free on doing action journeys (contributing to social causes), you can still stand a chance of winning a ticket. Head over to www.globalcitizen.in to complete action journeys and have a chance to win free tickets!"
Whether you win a free ticket or not, one thing's for sure. On November 19, Fadnavis is going to get his 'Hymn for the Weekend'. And if someone is going to sing 'Fix You' it's par for the course.
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