The audio launch of Vijay’s Bigil was eagerly anticipated by his fans, given that the actor rarely makes public appearances otherwise. The film’s audio was released amidst much celebration on Thursday, September 19, at an engineering college in Chennai.
However, all did not go well during the audio launch and many fans shared on Twitter that they were put through a dreadful ordeal to be allowed into the venue. Many were allegedly beaten up by security personnel and forced to return for lack of space.
The event’s organisers were criticised for poor planning, lack of drinking water or food, unlit roads leading to the programme area, and overcrowding.
Disappointed with how security mistreated the fans (esp. women). @Ags_production should have planned for a larger venue. When you have so little seating available this is bound to happen. Such issues do occur but never has it happened to this extent! #BigilAudioLaunch
— Sudh (@vigi0207) September 20, 2019
So Many Fans Are Disappointed...
— TVFP Bigilu™ (@TVFP_offl) September 20, 2019
In The #BigilAudioLaunch Venue..And Many oF Fans Got Beat By Police...This Is Very Worst Manner By Police...#Bigil #BigilAudioLaunch
Several reports began coming in on Friday about the alleged mistreatment the fans went through even while Vijay was on the dais, ironically speaking about treating his fans with respect. 20,000 tickets were allegedly sold for a venue with a seating capacity of 10,000. Speaking to Behindwoods, a fan who was reportedly at the venue, said, "Do you know how many women were beaten up? Thalaivar sings 'Singappenne' but do you know how many girls got beatings?”
Another fan can be heard saying, "They are treating us worse than dogs. We are fans but we are being treated like dogs. We’ve come here only to see his face and this is our only opportunity."
#அய்யோஅம்மாஆடியோலான்ச்#BigilAudioLaunch
— VMI_அகில உலகம் (@VMI_WorldWide) September 20, 2019
Vijay fans Before vijay fans after
attending audio Attending audio
launch Launch pic.twitter.com/mR28Z0qBhU
#தலசாம்ராஜ்யம்#BigilAudioLaunch
— Muthuram | முத்துராம் தல²⁷ʸʳˢᴬʲⁱᵗʰⁱˢᵐ ᴺᴷᴾ (@thalamuthuram) September 19, 2019
Reality pic.twitter.com/d1L8VvD9r5
Another fan, a young boy, said he had bought tickets for Rs 2000 and that he'd been at the venue since 2 pm. "Next time even if they conduct it at the beach of some golden Taj Mahal, no one will come. One anna has come from Kerala border, even he has not been allowed. All those with fake tickets have been allowed inside," he said.
While AGS Entertainment has not commented on the issue, a source close to the team claimed that the sale of fake tickets to the event resulted in the unmanageable surge. “We are investigating who could have done this to sabotage the show. There are also several unverified rumours doing the rounds which we do not want to give any attention to,” the source said.
Bigil’s audio launch covered exclusively by Sun TV, the film’s distributors, was telecast live on Thursday and then re-telecast a few days later on Sunday. Except for a few independent social media influencers and print journalists, not many media houses gained entry into the venue to film the event since Sun TV held its exclusive copyrights.
The audio launch of Vijay’s Sarkar too, produced by Sun Pictures, was filmed and aired exclusively by Sun Network. The video is available to stream on their SunNXT app.
Produced by AGS Entertainment, Bigil marks the reunion of Atlee and Vijay for a third time. The two had previously worked together in Mersal and Theri. This sports drama’s music has been composed by AR Rahman.
From online fan wars waged in his name to the #PrayForNesamani viral hashtag and the death of Chennai techie Subhasri, the actor touched upon several topics during the short course of his speech. The actor advised his fans against waging online hashtag wars, requesting them to use the power of hashtags for a social cause instead.