Chris Martin Thanks Mumbai Fans for Forgiveness Over Colonial Past
Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Indian fans during a recent performance in Mumbai, acknowledging the history of British colonialism and thanking them for their warm reception.
The 47-year-old musician spoke to the crowd saying, “It’s amazing to us that you welcome us, even though we are from Great Britain. Thank you for forgiving us for all of the bad things Great Britain has done and welcoming us to your home.” The comment was videoed and put up on social media; however, at the venue, people applauded wildly while on social media, opinions were split.
One Instagram user quipped, “Chris is healing intergenerational trauma with a mic, stage, and some tunes,” while another joked, “Please, free concert next time as reparations.” However, others were more critical, questioning the remarks and asking, “Ok, but when did we forgive them?” while another dismissed it as “white guilt.
This isn’t Coldplay’s first performance in India. The band previously headlined the Global Citizen Festival in Mumbai in 2016. On their current *Music of the Spheres World Tour*, they started 2025 with shows in the United Arab Emirates before heading to India. Their next performances are scheduled for January 25 and 26 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The tour hasn’t been without controversy. When tickets for Coldplay’s India shows went on sale last year, they sold out quickly, leading to resale prices soaring as high as $11,000. Ticket vendor BookMyShow condemned the practice, filing a police complaint and pledging full support for the investigation into ticket scalping.
Coldplay remains one of the most popular international acts in India, with fans eagerly anticipating their shows despite the occasional controversies surrounding ticketing and cultural remarks.
