Domestic arrival

“ I had sung the Hindi cover version of World Hold On in Kabir Khan’s Mission Istanbul,with my wife Gayatri. I will be singing the same track during the IPL ceremony,but my wife will not be joining me,” says Ganjawala,who hopes to lend a “peppy feel” to the track. The lyrics of the composition are: Hamara Kal Hamara Aaj Hamare Hi Haathon Mein Hai … Hamari Jaan Hamara Naseeb Hamare Hi Haathon Mein Hai … World Hold On Zara Massive Mera Future,Welcome To The Other Side. “I had suggested a few other tracks,like Salaam Namaste,Hum Tum and Channa Vey,but the organisers requested me for a more popular track,” adds Ganjawala.

Capitalising on the euphoric atmosphere,following India’s World Cup victory,the organiser,Wizcraft Entertainment,has opted for a 40-minute ceremony,featuring popular music and dance from Bollywood. Percussionist Taufiq Qureshi will kick-start the proceedings with an orchestra of 100 drummers,belting out fusion compositions in a 15-minute performance. Sunidhi Chauhan will sing her latest collaboration track,I Can Feel Your Heartbeat,from Enrique Iglesias’s album Euphoria and UK-based R&B singer,Raghav,will croon tacks from his unreleased album,The Phoenix. On the field,Raghav will be accompanied by acrobats and fire dancers. “We have chosen artistes who will contribute to the theme ‘It’s Awesome’,which celebrates how wonderful IPL and cricket is in our country. All performances will be pacy and rhythmic. The players are from across the world,so we have chosen tracks that will resonate among the foreign players,” says Sabbas Joseph,director,Wizcraft.

Also performing together on the podium,will be the trio of Sona Mohapatra,Akriti and Manasi Scott. Specialising in different genres,they are confident about complementing each other. “I don’t classify my music in any genre,which leaves me with the flexibility of singing with any performer. I have known Sona for a long time and would love to perform some of my new tracks with her,” says Scott.

In a shift from Season 3,when the opening ceremony at DY Patil Stadium,Navi Mumbai,had international artistes like Lionel Richie,UB40 and Abba Revival,this year is a domestic affair. “Since it is an Indian tournament,we wanted to give a desi feel to the proceedings,” explains Joseph,who is organising the ceremony for the first time. The grand finale will have Bollywood badshah Shah Rukh Khan shimmying to filmi tracks with actor Shreya Saran. Aamir Khan is expected to make a guest appearance,and it is rumoured that the stars of Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maaro Dum will provide a first look of the track Thayn Thayn at the ceremony.