CHENNAI: Come December, Margazhi season will begin and after a two-year lull, the city is once again gearing up for live kutcheris. As sabhas look forward eagerly to their halls getting filled once again, one company is making it easier for audiences to get their seats booked. K Kalyanasundaram, founder and director of MDnD Entertainment Pvt Ltd, announced the launch of an app that enables the booking of tickets for performances.
MDnD, which stands for Music Dance and Drama, was conceptualised with a goal to connect all stakeholders in Indian performing arts, said Kalyanasundaram. The firm has, for the past three years, been providing discovery services, wherein anybody interested in finding out interesting cultural events can do so by logging into the website. The new app is a first for the company and the sabhas, which were formerly exclusively offline.
“Until the last edition of the Margazhi Music Fest, tickets were largely sold manually, in person. People had to stand in long queues to get a ticket. For the first time, tickets to the festival can be bought online, and MDnD will be handling the ticketing exclusively for all of the major sabhas,” he added.
Through the MDnD app or the website, users can buy tickets for individual concerts or a season ticket, which will give them access to the whole range of kutcheris. Upon buying a ticket, a QR code is sent by mail, which can be shown at the venue. The payments are cybersecure, he assured, and can be used even by people from outside India who might want to book a ticket in advance or for their family in the city.
Along with the music, the canteens at the sabhas are a hot favourite. Users of the app or website can choose from their preferred caterer and their choice of meals. Kalyanasundaram added, “These meals are served on plantain leaves the traditional way. Coming from the city’s well-known caterers, the meals are sought-after during the festive season, so we’ve tied up with some of them to arrange for online bookings. There are times when the food attracts a larger crowd than the music.”
After the Margazhi season, Kalyanasundaram has plans to branch out to other cities. Top of the list is Bengaluru, which will have a line-up of performances during the Ram Navami season.
MDnD is available on Google Play and App Store. For more,WhatsApp: 8072336688.