National Film Award-winning actress Parineeti Chopra will be the star attraction at the opening ceremony of IPL team Delhi Daredevils on April 15 at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi. Among the other well artistes who will perform in the 20-minute ceremony will be well-known rapper Raftaar and popular Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa.
It is the first time in the history of the IPL that different opening ceremonies are being organised by all eight franchisees at their home grounds. These ceremonies will be staged before the first home match of each franchise. In the first nine editions of the IPL there was a single opening ceremony for the IPL season in the city that hosted the opening match of that particular tournament. There will be a single central closing ceremony this year, however.
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Delhi Daredevils’ opening ceremony will be staged before their match against Kings XI Punjab, starting at 8 p.m. The IPL will be played from April 5 to May 21.
“For the Delhi Daredevils’ opening ceremony, prominent attractions will be Parineeti Chopra, rapper Raftaar, and singer Guru Randhawa. They will be accompanied by approximately 150-strong support staff,” said the source.
The BCCI has made it mandatory for the organisers that the theme of the eight opening ceremonies should relate to the home team. “Each of the opening ceremonies should have a section dedicated to the home team and the regional audience of the territory in which the venue is located,” the BCCI outlined in its Request For Proposal floated to invite tenders.
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All the performers who will exhibit their wares at the Ferozeshah Kotla have a connection with north India. Parineeti Chopra, a cousin of top actress Priyanka Chopra, was born in Ambala, Haryana.
Although ‘Raftaar’ was born in Trivandrum Kerala – his real name is Dilin Nair -- he is a former member of music group ‘Mafia Mundeer’, formed by well-known pop singer Yo Yo Honey Singh of Punjab. ‘Raftaar’ later split from Yo Yo Honey Singh and joined Punjabi band RDB, which has also since split.
Unlike the discontinued central opening ceremony, the eight ceremonies this time will be short and crisp. “Each of these openings will be 25-minute long, as the toss has to take place after that. For the night matches, the toss will take place at 7.30 pm. There will be a lot of furniture and woodwork that will have to be removed from the field after the ceremony in just 20 minutes. It will be a challenge,” the source said.
The organisers will get a maximum of 30 minutes for set up for the ceremony and as the ground will be being prepared for the match to follow. The BCCI has instructed the organisers that the opening ceremonies should be held only in the area between the 30-yard circle in the field and the boundary line. The BCCI has put this restriction to protect the pitch for the match that will immediately follow and also for the commentators to do the usual pitch report before the toss takes place.
The BCCI has got a special, golden logo designed for the 10th edition of the IPL and the ‘10th Year Installation’ will be an integral part of each of the eight opening ceremonies.
