FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 opening ceremony: Bollywood’s Disha Patani, Ranveer Singh take centrestage
The opening ceremony was held at the Barabati Stadium. Several local and global artists showcased their talent on the big occasion.
Hockey
The FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 kicked off in Odisha with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Wednesday.
The ceremony, named ‘Celebrations’, started with local Odia and Indian artists setting the tone for the night with their cultural music and dance performances.
A fireworks display then wowed a packed 40,000-capacity stadium while the hockey World Cup trophy was unveiled on stage in the presence of official dignitaries.
The event then saw performances from K-Pop band BLACKSWAN, featuring Odisha’s very own Shreya Lenka, who delighted the crowd with their top numbers.
The stage was then taken over by Bollywood actor and model Disha Patani and her team of talented dancers. Disha Patani and her team rocked the crowd with their dance moves on groovy Hindi and South Indian tracks.
Several Bollywood hits were also played at Barabati Stadium by music composer Pritam and his team of renowned playback singers. The team had produced the official hockey World Cup anthem Hockey Hai Dil Mera and also performed it live at the Barabati Stadium amidst a glittering light show by drones.
Amid the glitz of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 opening ceremony, Odisha’s very own seashore sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik produced an awe-inspiring sand show describing Indian hockey’s 100 years of legacy shortly.
Manish Paul and Gauhar Khan, the two hosts, then introduced the star of the night Ranveer Singh, who sang hip-hop and topped it off with energetic dance performances. The gala was then concluded with customary fireworks.
While around 40,000 people enjoyed the pageantry of the opening ceremony from the stands, giant LED screens and 16 Hockey Fan Parks were set up across Cuttack for live streaming of the event.
The action will now move to Bhubaneswar and Rourkela - the two cities that will host the FIH Hockey World Cup matches, starting from January 13.
The Indian men’s hockey team will open its campaign against Spain at the newly-built Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on the opening day.