MOSCOW, OCT 29: A group of apparently drunken Indian hooligans marred Gurdas Mann's pop show - a much-hyped event of the Days of Delhi cultural extravaganza - at the Russian capital's premier concert hall, Rossiya, on Wednesday evening.The incident followed Tuesday's lackluster inauguration of the festival over which the Delhi government has reportedly spent Rs 1 crore.Hardly had Mann appeared on stage when hooligans started heckling, prompting the irritated singer to abruptly stop and warn: "Tussi control mein rehna (Remain in control)." But, his repeated appeals did not have any effect, and the audience was disappointed throughout the show lasting about two hours.Special security men had a tough time controlling the hecklers trying to storm the stage. Mann was belting Chalo, jera Russia se Punjab le chaloon, thodi-si Vodka sharab le chaloon (I take you, for a few moments, to Punjab from Russia, with some Vodka), when some succeeded in climbing on to the stage and dancing. Onestretched himself full-length on the stage, face downward, attempting to touch Mann's feet.By the time, the pop dancer came to his last hit number Dil da mamla hai, most of the Russian audience, a motley crowd of the young and middle-aged, had left.A further comment on the lack of popularity of the show was the fact that there were many empty seats before the curtains came down and much of the 2,500-seat hall was occupied by an Indian audience."It was difficult for me to follow through the numbers," said a Russian girl in her twenties, who was leaving the hall together with her companions mid-show."They should have brought Daler Mehndi rather than Mann if they are putting more emphasis on pop dance and music in comparison to classical dance and music, which are difficult for Russian audiences to understand," said one Indian insider familiar with the organisation of the cultural festival.There have also been reports that the five-day festival has been laid low by botched management.Nowhere is this more apparent than in the distribution of free tickets through invitations.While scores of Muscovites, interested in Indian dances and music, could not get tickets for the gala opening and for Mann's show, some Russians were spotted selling their tickets, in black, near Rossiya's entrance.Of the 2,500 tickets each for the two main shows, only 500 were allotted to the Indian embassy.
