As Coldplay wrapped up their India tour with their biggest-ever concert at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, social media erupted with praise for the event’s world-class execution. At the same time, comparisons were drawn with Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh, who had recently remarked that when it came to hosting live shows, India wasn’t up to the mark.
Diljit, who faced logistical hurdles during the India leg of his ‘Dil-luminati’ tour last year, had said he would not perform in the country again until the infrastructure improved. He later clarified that his comments and concerns were limited to the Chandigarh venue of his tour.
However, memories of his remarks remained among fans and after glimpses of Coldplay’s spectacular Ahmedabad shows surfaced online, many clapped back at the singer on social media. Tagging Diljit, one X user shared a clip from the Coldplay concert, saying, “India does have infrastructure for live concerts” and advised him to “hire a better team” next time.
Another wrote, “Not gonna lie, Coldplay kinda did great with the setup and stage. Diljit should stop complaining and change his organising team.”
Some fans pointed out Coldplay’s ability to execute complex performances with massive crowds. “Remember when Diljit said India needs better infrastructure for concerts? Coldplay has now done 4 concerts, all of larger size and complexity than Diljit’s,” one user posted.
Union minister Ashwini Vaishnav was among those to laud Sunday’s concert. While the minister did not comment on Dijit Dosanjh’s remarks, he noted that the Coldplay event had set a “global benchmark” and “showcased India’s capability to host world-class events”.
Meanwhile, others defended the Punjabi singer, arguing that he faced challenges unique to his concerts. “Diljit is right. There are a lack of toilets at his venues. Issues like sudden liquor bans and denied stadiums also create problems,” one user pointed out.
Some saw room for improvement across the board. “While artists like Diljit and Arijit Singh have mass appeal, the Motera [now Narendra Modi stadium] event stood out for police coordination, event management, and crowd support. Hopefully, this sets a benchmark for better infrastructure and organisation,” a user said.
