Ashneer Grover on Coldplay concert ticket frenzy: ..why is filling of 80k stadium surprising anyone?

Coldplay is scheduled to perform in India in January 2025, sending fans into a frenzy as tickets sold out quickly on BookMyShow. The rapid sellout left many disappointed, with some turning to social media to express frustration over the high ticket prices. The incident has sparked a widespread online debate, with celebrities like Chetan Bhagat and Ashneer Grover weighing in on the controversy.
Expressing his discontent with the craze over the concert tickets, author Chetan Bhagat shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) where he said “On one hand we get figures of Indian salary percentiles and on the other there’s near mania for concert tickets. Who’s paying so much and buying all these tickets? What percentage of your monthly salary are people spending on these tickets? Some YOLO logic here? What?”.
Responding to Bhagat’s post, BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover said “why is filling of 80k stadium surprising anyone ? 800k students go overseas every year - spending $50K on an average.Also now that most people who can afford have phones - things will fill up instantly as well.”
“It’s a large country - and lot is disparity on either end”, he stated.



Responding to the post, a user said “Attending Coldplay concerts are dream for many including me and I will happily shell out even 20-30k if it's in my city. It all depends on your spending capacity.” Another commented “True and not to forget, maximum people currently have iPhones on EMI, vehicles on EMI, just to show off, far from reality.”
A third user called his argument ‘flawed’. “Your argument is flawed here! — education and smartphones can be investments when used wisely. Attending a Coldplay concert? That’s just chasing a fleeting dopamine hit. Artificial beats, flashy lights, and no real substance—what are we really getting out of it? It's all for show. Time to ask: are we investing in personal growth or just showing off for a quick thrill?”