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Backstreet Boys land in Mumbai for sold-out concert amidst scalping rumours

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All roads lead to BKC Jio Gardens tonight as fans of 90s boyband Backstreet Boys prep to watch their teen idols onstage. In their rollercoaster three-decade career, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson have thrilled fans around the world with their impeccable choreography, heavenly harmonies, and over a dozen chart-topping hits.

Due to overwhelming popular demand, they have expanded their massive DNA World Tour to Mumbai and Delhi. This tour is a celebration of the then-boyband’s rich legacy, featuring megawatt hits such as ‘I Want It That Way’, ‘Everybody’ (Backstreet’s Back), ‘Quit Playing Games With My Heart’ and ‘As Long As You Love Me’, along with the latest offerings from their recent album DNA, including ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’, ‘Chances’, and ‘No Place’, among others.

The quintet has already landed in Mumbai to a roaring welcome from fans at the airport. Their hotel staff treated BSB to a Bollywood-style dance performance of their hit songs which Nick Carter posted on his Instagram page. In the video, he remarked with an ear-to-ear grin on his face.

“This is the first time I have seen something like this in my entire career.” In the caption, Carter wrote, “What cool surprise arriving at the hotel here in Mumbai India. The hotel staff had a full-out Bollywood-style dance prepared remixing all our songs. I guess we really do have fans all over the world.”

Sold-out shows

There has been a mad scramble for tickets ever since the concert was announced in February 2023. BSB fans are a passionate and mixed bunch. Everyone from the portly neighbourhood housewife with four kids in tow, the suave businessmen in their Armani suits to the navel-baring crop top brigade are followers. So, it’s not surprising that tickets were sold out weeks ago.

Official ticketing partner Bookmyshow’s website had no tickets available across tiers: Everybody Zone (general access for INR 3500 to INR 5000), I Want It That Way (closer to the stage for INR 8000 to INR 10000) and All I Have To Give (VIP passes with lounge access for INR 15000 to INR 20000).

Prices varied according to the subdivision in each tier for Mumbai and Delhi. However, as the concert date inched closer, tickets mysteriously started resurfacing. Suddenly, concertgoers are selling off their tickets via social media since they weren’t going “due to unavoidable circumstances”. Of course, they are selling them at a much higher price than the original cost.

General access tickets are going for VIP prices. The truth behind the matter is hidden in plain sight: scalping.

Trend of scalping

Scalping of concert tickets is when someone buys tickets to a concert or event and then resells them for a higher price. The person who bought the tickets originally is usually a fan who wants to attend the event, but the scalper buys the tickets with the intention of making a profit by reselling them at a higher price.

Scalpers use bots and loopholes on the ticketing site to do this. This is possible because demand for the tickets is often higher than the supply, and scalpers take advantage of this by charging fans more than the original price.

The practice of scalping can be controversial because it often means fans have to pay more than they should.

Wrote Twitter user Piyush: “There is suddenly a surplus of Backstreet Boys tickets for Mumbai:

One ardent fan tweeted: “The millennial in me wants to attend the BackStreet Boys DNA World tour in Mumbai, but ticket bohot mehenga hai. Kuch jugaad hai kya?

The scalping of concert tickets for BSB is a fascinating example of the dynamics of supply and demand. The popularity of the boy band is such that demand for tickets is far outstripping supply, creating a lucrative opportunity for scalpers who are able to obtain tickets through various means.

Scalpers are using sophisticated technology and strategies to capitalize on the imbalance between supply and demand and adjust their selling price accordingly. While some may see scalping as a nefarious practice that takes advantage of fans, it can also be seen as a natural outcome of a market where demand exceeds supply. It’s clear that the practice of scalping can have negative consequences, however, particularly when it creates a sense of unfairness among fans who are unable to obtain tickets at face value.

Surge in streaming

The band has seen close to a 2x surge in daily searches on Spotify in India since the Mumbai and Delhi of their world tour were announced in February.

Spotify playlist- ‘This Is Backstreet Boys’; which includes some of the band’s biggest hits, also witnessed an 88% increase in streams during this period. Released over 20 years ago; ‘I Want It That Way’ continues to be a fan favourite and is the band’s top-streamed track in India since the tour announcement. This is followed by ‘As Long as You Love Me’, ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Radio Edit’, ‘Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely’, and ‘Quit Playing Games With My Heart’, which complete the list of the top 5 most streamed Backstreet Boys songs on Spotify in India right now.

New documentary

BSB has also gifted their loyal fans with the first episode of their slick new documentary series, ‘Making Of The DNA Tour’, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse into the preparation for this world tour. Five episodes are out on their Youtube channel. Rick+Tone will be recording more footage for the documentary during the Mumbai and Delhi shows.

Bollywood

Subhash Ghai shares how Aamir Khan brought dignity to Hindi cinema with his film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’

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Mumbai, July 4: Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai took to social media to shower praise on Aamir Khan for his continued efforts to elevate the stature of Hindi cinema.

Lauding his decision to release ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ in theatres and hold off on its OTT release for six months, Ghai called it a move that brings “dignity to Hindi cinema.” In his heartfelt note, the director expressed his happiness at how exhibitors across the country honoured Aamir as a “brave filmmaker” for supporting the big-screen experience and showing deep respect for theatrical business.

Sharing a photo featuring Aamir Khan, Subhash Ghai wrote on Instagram, “Dear Aamir. You have done it again to bring dignity to Hindi cinema with your heartwarming film in cinema halls n pledging not to show it on small screen for six months. M glad that all India exhibitors honoured you as a brave film maker yesterday for respecting the business of big screens theatres too. Congratulations n blessings. @muktaa2cinemas @pvrcinemas_official @inoxmovies @cinepolismx @zeecinema @muktaartsltd.”

The makers of the Aamir Khan starrer have decided not to release the film on OTT platforms. The Multiplex Association of India had applauded the move, and Aamir Khan Productions later expressed their gratitude for the support. Sharing MAI’s statement on their official Instagram account, the production house wrote in the caption, “Grateful for the overwhelming love and support MAI (red heart emoji).”

In the statement, Kamal Gianchandani, who served as the President of MAI, had said, “Aamir Khan has always been a filmmaker who puts the audience first. His decision to bring Sitaare Zameen Par exclusively to cinemas is a significant show of confidence in theatres and the shared magic of the moviegoing experience. Indian exhibitors thank Aamir Khan for standing by theatres. As we continue to welcome audiences with renewed energy and world-class films, Sitaare Zammen Par will remain a shining example of cinema’s resilience and its irreplaceable magic.”

“Sitaare Zameen Par,” which also stars Genelia D’Souza, was a sequel to the 2007 hit film “Taare Zameen Par.” Directed by RS Prasanna, the sports drama hit theatres on June 20.

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Ranvir Shorey criticizes MNS workers for assaulting a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi

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Mumbai, July 3: Bollywood actor Ranvir Shorey took to social media to strongly condemn the actions of MNS workers who allegedly assaulted a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi.

Expressing his outrage, the actor called the incident shameful and unacceptable. He also tagged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in his post. The ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ actor took to his X handle to post a video that captured members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly attacking a restaurant owner in Mumbai’s Mira Road area over his inability to speak Marathi. Expressing his anger, Shorey described the incident as “disturbing” and voiced serious concerns about the current state of law and order in Maharashtra.

The actor tweeted, “This is sickening. Monsters on the loose, looking for attention and political relevance. Where’s L&O, @CMOMaharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis ?.” Ranvir also hit back at trolls in the comments section of his post, giving a sharp and fitting response to those who tried to criticise him. One user asked the actor, “Since how many years you now live in Maharashtra? How much effort have you taken to learn Marathi?”

In his reply, Ranvir Shorey said, “First, I’m not answerable to a hateful anonymous troll like you for any of these questions. Second, you’re really dumb if you think beating people up will make them learn and speak a language. And finally, if you do want to bring attention to the issue, there are more positive & constructive ways to bring about change, or even protest for political mileage, instead of beating hapless citizens who’re just trying to make a living!”

A video that went viral on social media showed a group of men visiting a shop to buy food. The situation turned violent when they allegedly attacked the shop owner for not speaking in Marathi. The men were seen wearing scarves associated with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

The incident took place in Bhayander, located in Maharashtra’s Thane district. It occurred shortly after the state government rolled back its decision to enforce a three-language policy, which had sparked criticism from the opposition.

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Singer Rochak Kohli shares how AI is empowering musicians

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Mumbai, July 3: Singer and composer Rochak Kohli, who is best known for his song, “Pani Da Rang,” believes that artificial intelligence is not a threat to musicians but a powerful tool that can enhance creativity.

In an exclusive interview with media, the singer shared his thoughts on the evolving role of AI in music. Kohli said he regularly uses AI for generating musical ideas, exploring new instruments, and staying updated with global trends. Rochak even admitted to creating videos using AI for his independent channel, adding that he sees it as a helpful resource rather than something to fear.

“I see AI as a tool—nothing more, nothing less. I use it quite a bit myself. Whether it’s for musical ideas, discovering new instruments, or global trends, it’s very useful. I’ve even made videos using AI on my independent channel. Rather than a threat, I think AI is empowering musicians.”

When asked about the growing remix trend in today’s music industry and whether he prefers original compositions or finds them risky, the singer shared, “Original compositions bring true satisfaction. When there’s a demand for a remix, we carefully consider the song, the reason behind it, and whether it adds value. Nowadays, people don’t accept remixes the way they did a decade ago, and I think that’s a positive shift—original music is finally getting its due.”

Talking about his new album, “Aap jaisa Koi,” Rochak stated, “I’ve composed two songs in this album—Jab Tu Sajan and Dhuaan Dhuaan, which is an intense track. The sequence of songs was a deliberate choice. We used a part of Jab Tu Sajan as a bridge into Dhuaan Dhuaan to ensure the emotional flow remained seamless and cohesive for the listener.”

Rochak Kohli added, “After a long time, I had the opportunity to work on a project where music played a pivotal role. Our first song, Jab Tu Sajan, was shot in a very unique style. It felt really good to see music being given its due importance again.”

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