A dazzling and extravagant ceremony combining Bollywood’s glamour
quotient and a medley of diverse cultures showcased by American rapper
Pitbull and Tagore’s compositions heralded the start of the sixth
edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Tuesday.
Promising a “great time” and a “party”, Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan
and the leading ladies of Bollywood Deepika Paudkone and Katrina Kaif
kept around 50,000 spectators at the brightly-lit Salt Lake stadium –
and millions more glued to Tv sets in their drawing rooms – with their
enthralling performances.
The much-awaited show started with classical dancers serenading two
giant lamps, and dancing in white, gold and red with diyas in hands. As
more dancers joined in, Shah Rukh’s voice boomed Tagore’s “Where the
mind is without fear” in the background.
Music director Pritam’s composition that incorporated Afro beats
amped up the music as hundreds of children, holding aloft torches that
sparkled in the summer evening, moved gracefully on the ground below the
elevated stage to form ‘Om’.
Jumping into the arena bordered by artificial crags and peaks,
cheerleaders in bright hues of red, white, and blue embraced the stage
in jumps and lifts as golden curtains drew back to reveal acrobats
cartwheeling across the stage.
Spectators cheered as the flying drummers from Europe descended from
the roof while back on the grass children grooved to Pritam’s
composition in a flurry of pompoms, tassels, umbrellas and shimmering
red and gold flags.
Gymnasts in shiny costumes bobbed across the stage and playground whirling streamers as violinists struck up a soulful note.
Meanwhile, Chinese women percussionists positioned across the lawn
fired up the musical gala as nine balloons representing the teams synced
up to the giant ball that went up sporting the IPL logo.
Omar Borkan Al Gala, an actor and photographer from Dubai, was given his marching orders along with a number of other men at a cultural festival earlier this month.
A dazzling and extravagant ceremony combining Bollywood’s glamour
quotient and a medley of diverse cultures showcased by American rapper
Pitbull and Tagore’s compositions heralded the start of the sixth
edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Tuesday.
Music director Pritam’s composition that incorporated Afro beats
amped up the music as hundreds of children, holding aloft torches that
sparkled in the summer evening, moved gracefully on the ground below the
elevated stage to form ‘Om’.
Chris Brown admits he will always love his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran but thinks their relationship was more of a friendship
South Korean singer PSY has announced his follow-up single to
‘Gangnam Style’ will be just as energetic and dance-heavy as his first
international hit.
