Stars add aura to the surreal opening of ISL
The gargantuan Salt Lake stadium, a colussus from the last millennium, decked up like the superbowl. A host of stars, firecrackers that turned night into day, 12 giant screens, 200 children, 12000 lighted balls, thousands of pyrotechniques unleashed the first ever football carnival in India. The giant star turnout is unprecedented for Indian football with Amitabh Bachchan who tuirned 72 yesterday among the spectators.
The evening began with a tribute by 8 musical maestros representing each of the eight participating teams and regions accompanied by 160 musicians. Representing Kolkata at their home venue was Bickram Ghosh, while percussionist extraordinaire Sivamani stroked up a storm for Chennai. Similarly, Aslam Dafrani rocked on for Delhi, while Bondo and Taufiq Qureshi joined the drum circle for Goa and Mumbai respectively. Adding to the atmosphere were Chenda players representing Kerala, the Manipuri dhol players from the North East and Puneri dhol players representing Pune.
If we thought that was a rocking opener, then the 65,000 odd spectators were in for more. 'Desi Girl' Priyanka Chopra thrilled the gathering with some hip shaking Bollywood numbers before a roll call began for the the eight teams represented by their owners and captains. Sourav Ganguly and Luis Garcia were the first on the stage as host team. However, the loudest cheers were reserved for Sachin Tendulkar as he walked in with David James last representing the Kerala Blasters FC.
The other celebrity owners included Pariniti Chopra and Allesandro Del Piero (Delhi Dynamos), Dattaraj Salgaocar and Robert Pires (FC Goa), Abhishek Bachchan and Elano (Chennaiyin FC), Ranvir Kapoor and Fredrick Ljungberg (Mumbai City FC), Hritik Roshan and David Trezeguet (FC Pune City) and John Abraham and Ricky Herbert (NorthEast United FC).
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a guest appearance wishing the ISL the very best, while Nita Ambani, owner IMG Reliance the promoters pf ISL, declared the tournament open with a brief line "Ami Hero Indian Super Leaguer Subho Suchona Korchi."
While the rub of glamour and glitz of world football filled the stadium with an otherworldly charm, one could not feel a tinge of sadness for our own East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, a lost dream of a byegone era.
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