Bollywood singer Neha Kakkar found herself at the center of controversy during her March 23 concert in Melbourne after arriving nearly three hours late. Videos from the event, now widely shared on social media, show the singer breaking down in tears as she faced backlash from the audience
. Addressing the crowd, Kakkar expressed deep regret for the delay, saying, “You have been waiting for so long. I hate this. I have never kept anyone waiting in my life, and it truly upsets me that you had to.” She further apologized, adding, “I’m sorry! It means a lot that you stayed. I will never forget this evening, and I promise to make you all dance.”
While some audience members appreciated her sincerity and clapped in encouragement, others were less forgiving, criticizing her for what they deemed “unprofessional” behavior.
Videos from the event captured disgruntled concertgoers expressing their displeasure. One person in the crowd was heard shouting, “Go back, rest in your hotel.” Another added, “This isn’t India; you’re in Australia.” A third concert attendee remarked, “Very good acting! This is not Indian Idol, and you’re not singing with children.”
The criticism continued online, with one social media user slamming the event, saying, “She showed up at 10 PM for a concert scheduled at 7:30 PM, then put on a crying act and wrapped up in under an hour. What a terrible concert—completely unprofessional.”
Before the Melbourne concert, Kakkar had performed in Sydney, where she shared glimpses of the event on Instagram. Expressing gratitude to her fans, she wrote, “Thank you, Sydney! Tonight, Melbourne—Neha Kakkar Live.”
Despite the controversy in Melbourne, the singer’s Australian tour continues, but the incident has sparked a debate on professionalism and audience expectations in live performances.