Heavy rain failed to dampen the spirit of 'City of Joy' as a dazzling Bollywood-style opening ceremony kick started the eighth edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket after a one and a half hour delay at the decked-up Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata.
The event was a little subdued compared to the galas of the previous editions but the cine stars still managed to put up a show, enthralling the thousands of drenched fans who were glued to their seats. The cheer was loud for Virat Kohli, louder for Mahendra Singh Dhoni but loudest for Gautam Gambhir.
While Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan stole the show with his electrifying dance performance, Anushka Sharma brought on a lot of panache with her performance.
The versatile Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor regaled the crowd, both performing to their respective numbers from movies such as Rock On and Kaminey.
Shahid hit a ramp slightly and then slipped on the stage before recovering quickly.
Of those from the glam world, Hrithik was the most sought-after as he gyrated to his hit numbers from Bang Bang and Dhoom 2.
The show-stopper of the night was undoubtedly Hrithik, who enthralled the thin audience with his groovy steps and later thanked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for gifting him a scarf that dangled around his neck.
