Coldplay’s Chris Martin Thanks Fans at Mumbai Show For ‘Forgiving’ British Colonialism in India

Coldplay’s Chris Martin thanked his Indian audience on Saturday (Jan. 18) for “forgiving” British colonialism, as the band’s Music Of The Spheres dates kicked off in Mumbai. 

The band performed at DY Patil stadium in Mumbai to 75,000 fans, where Martin expressed his gratitude for a warm welcome, despite Britain’s past colonial rule in India. The group are playing a trio of shows in the city which concludes on Wednesday (Jan. 21), before they perform for two nights in Ahmedabad later this weekend (Jan. 25-26).

“This is our fourth visit to India, and the second time to play. The first time we played a long show and we could not have asked for a better audience. Thank you for coming today everybody,” he said, referencing Coldplay’s last performance in the city at the 2016 Global Citizen Festival.

“Thank you for welcoming us even though we are from Great Britain,” he added. “Thanks for forgiving us despite everything Great Britain did.” See the clip below.

The British Government ruled India as a colony from 1858 until 1947, establishing the “Raj” (“rule”) over the region. Queen Victoria took over rule of India from the East Indian Trading Company in 1858, and established a number of British governors in the nation’s provinces.

During its time as a colony, India suffered a series of famines and mismanagement of resources during droughts by the British Raj. It is estimated that the major famines in India during the British rule contributed to the deaths for millions of the population. In 1947, rule was ended and the independent states of India and Pakistan were established.

The group’s show in Ahmedabad is set to draw 132,000 fans – their largest show ever – and will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar in India, alongside behind-the-scenes footage. The Music Of The Spheres show will continue throughout 2025, including a 10-night stint at Wembley Stadium in London in August.