Annu Kapoor insults New Zealanders with tantrums and misdemeanours

Organisers in Sydney cancel his show on August 31

Long Read

If you were among the 2200 people (like us) at the Victoria Convention Centre in Auckland on Saturday night (August 24, 2024), you would wonder why we invite celebrities from the Indian (notably Hindi) film industry and suffer their insults.

If you were not in the audience, you were spared several embarrassing moments. 

Annu Kapoor, the star of the first Antakshari Competition in New Zealand was at his worst behaviour, having a go at the show organisers, contestants and the audience.

We understand that his misbehaviour and unreasonable, out-of-turn and out-of-contract demands backstage were insufferable.

The show, organised by Dinesh Raniga (Aariaa Events), Basant Madhur (Sargam School of Music) and Ashish Ramakrishnan (Bendith Media), accounted for 72 participants, 22 volunteers and many others including sponsors and technicians.

Kapoor arrived 45 minutes late and soon after Ashish and Ankita Ghatani rendered the opening song to start the competition, began to throw tantrums, finding fault with the ‘buzzers’ placed on the competitors’ tables, saying that it was not in his approved format. We learnt from Ashish that the truth was otherwise.

Kapoor’s extended monologues dragged the programme beyond its originally scheduled three hours and by the time the finale was rendered, most people had left.

Organiser’s Plan disrupted

“My original plan was to deliver a well-organised, crisp show lasting three hours, from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm, including a break. I take pride in meticulous planning, but unfortunately, circumstances beyond my control disrupted these plans,” Ashish told Indian Newslink.

As well as this Reporter, New Zealanders know Ashish as a person with gentle manners and a good event organiser. A former winner of the ‘Real Antakshari’ programme in 1995 (Children’s Special), held in India in 1995, his concept was to bring the Star of Antakshari to New Zealand and enable the contestants to experience the thrill of the Master’s presence.

Ashish informed us of this show more than a year ago, stating that Antakshari would not only stir the nostalgia of the Indian Diaspora but also kindle the interest of the younger generation and inspire them to enter the competition.

“We have immense musical talent within our community in New Zealand. Antakshari is a common game played at many house parties. It would be great to have a dedicated event and have groups that display their knowledge of Hindi film songs and their singing talent. It will be a tribute to everyone in the industry – from lyricists and composers to singers and orchestras. And with Annu Kapoor at the centre, the Show will be memorable,” he said.

Unfortunately, what was envisaged was overturned.

Ravi Nyayapati writes

Indian Newslink Columnist Ravi Nyayapati, who was closely involved with the shaping of the event and a close friend of Ashish, sent us the following:

The much-anticipated event, Tulip Antakshari with Annu Kapoor, was a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences for both the organisers and the audience.

The show, orchestrated by Ashish Ramakrishnan, with support from Dinesh Raniga and Basant Madhur, aimed to bring a nostalgic experience to the Indian diaspora in New Zealand. Ashish, who began his musical journey as a winner on Zee TV’s Antakshari in the 1990s, meticulously planned the event for eight months. However, the night unfolded with unexpected twists and turns.

The team had carefully planned a concise, three-hour show starting at 6.30 pm, with an engaging and entertaining format. The ‘buzzer system,’ approved by Annu Kapoor’s team, was in place to ensure fairness. However, despite repeated requests from the organisers for the event’s questions and content over the past several months, the final content was decided by Kapoor only a few hours before the event. The sequence of that content was subsequently provided minutes before the start, creating significant challenges and last-minute panic for the musicians and audio-visual staff behind the scenes.

Unreasonable demand for money

The event faced several challenges, starting from its start time. Kapoor’s late arrival delayed the show’s start to 7.15 pm. While traffic and health issues were publicly cited as reasons for the delay, reliable sources indicated that a last-minute demand for extra payment by Kapoor’s team also contributed. The organisers had no option but to comply with the demand, paying in cash to ensure that the show went on.

Once the show began, only the first eight minutes went according to the organisers’ plan. Kapoor took control of the stage, and the drama then unfolded.

He drove the show at his own pace, disregarding the pre-set rules and timelines.

His repeated criticisms of the high-end buzzer system, despite its approval by his own team, caused confusion and frustration. Additionally, his inappropriate remarks about the promoters, organisers, contestants, and audience distanced him from the spirit of the event.

Scuffles and hecklers

People were left dumbfounded by his behaviour, eventually showing signs of disapproval.  Instead of calming the matter, Kapoor chose to take offence and engaged in soft scuffles with the hecklers. The audience’s disappointment grew stronger as Kapoor’s behaviour deviated from his trademark witty commentary.

Instead, he continued to make insulting comments, criticised participants and repeatedly asked people to sing well, leading to boredom and frustration.

Excellence in singing was never a criterion for what is meant to be a game show.

Kapoor’s repeated calls for contestants (and the audience) to sing properly made it look like a TV recording set, not a live performance.

Many attendees left before the show concluded, disheartened by the lack of engagement and respect from Kapoor.

Despite the significant hurdles faced in glaring pub-eye, the organisers stayed focused to complete the event – and those familiar with the local artists, stayed until the end to experience a novel experience.

Ashish and his co-host Ankita Ghatani demonstrated remarkable resilience on stage, showing respect and professionalism, and leaving a lasting impression on those present.

Kapoor’s erratic behaviour was an anti-climax to what would have been a magnificent event, the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Ashish on Kapoor’s behaviour

Ashish was apologetic about Kapoor’s behaviour, which in essence was a sign of disrespect towards the audience.

“Whether this stemmed from inappropriate conduct or reactions to comments from the audience, I want to sincerely apologise. It was not in my power to prevent this, and I, too, was subjected to derogatory comments, including ones directed at the participants and myself as an organiser. Regarding the buzzer system used that night, I want to assure you that it was functioning perfectly. My team and I tested it rigorously over 100 times before the event and at least 50 times afterwards to confirm its reliability. Any comments suggesting otherwise are unfounded,” he said.

There were comments on the public voting system, which Asish clarified.

“I want to clarify that while some attendees voted multiple times, without a doubt, we had put a system in place that identified and ensured that only one vote per unique IP address was counted, maintaining the fairness of the process,” he said.

Introspection needed

Ashish said that he has always strived to act with integrity, fairness, and transparency.

“My sincere effort has always been to bring our community together, and my intentions were pure. Despite having no control over certain aspects and facing inaccurate criticisms, I remained silent and focused on keeping the show going. My experience has taught me that, no matter what, the show must go on,” he said.

Artists like Annu Kapoor are not the leaders of the entertainment industry but sit somewhere in the middle pile. Why should organisers spend tens of thousands of dollars, cater to the whims of visiting artists like Kapoor, be subject to their mental and verbal abuse and present shows and present them to an audience, who in turn get insulted?

Ashish said that people like Annu Kapoor cannot deter him from pursuing new concepts and innovative events.

“I am passionate about what I do, and I will continue to work tirelessly to bring unique experiences to the New Zealand audience and unite our community,” he said.

Mr Nyayapati said that despite unpleasant comments made by Kapoor about the buzzer system, the format and other organisational matters, Ashish stood on the stage and continued the show without retaliating, out of respect to the visiting artist. Many in the audience noticed this and mentioned that Ashish is a sincere person, determined to conduct the show well. ‘Tulip Antakshari with Annu Kapoor’ may have faced significant challenges, but it also demonstrated the resilience and dedication of the organising team, who managed to create an event, bringing the community together for a memorable evening,” he said.