London-based Indian singer Charles Antony has shared a terrifying account of his experience at Lionel Messi's controversial G.O.A.T Tour event in Kolkata, where celebration turned into a frightening mob scene, forcing him to literally run for his life.
From Planned Performance to Panic-Stricken Escape
The Malayali singer, who performs in 18 languages including Bengali, had flown in specially from London. He was personally invited by the now-arrested event organiser, Satadru Dutta, to perform at the Messi events in Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi. For the Kolkata leg on December 13 at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), Antony had even composed a special Spanish song to welcome the football legend.
However, his plans unraveled due to confusion and chaos. He received conflicting reporting times of 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM for the sound check and couldn't visit the stadium a day prior. The situation deteriorated rapidly after the event began.
Mobocracy Erupts in Packed Stadium
Antony described how the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Angry fans, many of whom had paid between Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000 for tickets, and up to Rs 20,000 in the black market, ran riot after failing to get a proper glimpse of Messi. The singer observed the Argentina star, along with Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, being swarmed.
"I had barely seen him. He was smiling, but it was very clear he was uncomfortable," Antony recalled. The chaos escalated with objects like water bottles, food packets, stones, and metal items being hurled from the galleries, putting equipment at risk and spreading panic.
The tipping point came after VVIPs were escorted out through an underground exit and former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly left. "That’s when the police told me to run to a safe place," he said. With no assistance, Antony grabbed his guitar, cables, mouth organs, and vocal processors, stuffing them into bags and fleeing. His access tag made him a target, with some mistaking him for an organiser. "At one point, my life was under threat," he revealed.
Stark Contrast and Aftermath of Uncertainty
Antony contrasted this experience with the joyous and well-managed event during Diego Maradona's 2016 Kolkata visit, where he sang inside the inner circle. This time, he was outside the core area. Despite the ordeal, he managed to sing a couple of songs, making him the first Indian to sing with Maradona and for Messi.
He eventually ran back to his hotel at the Hyatt and later shifted to another for safety. In the aftermath, he faced complete uncertainty, unable to reach Satadru Dutta. Antony clarified he took no payment, only travel and accommodation were covered.
While critical of the mismanagement, he refused to blame Satadru solely, noting the organiser tried to control the crowd but was helpless as others, possibly VVIPs, took selfies. Antony also witnessed the heartbreak of fans who travelled from Meghalaya, Assam, and Bengaluru, many left crying without seeing their idol. He called it a mobocracy that spiraled out of control, leaving an indelible mark on what was meant to be a celebratory football spectacle.
