Bollywood actress Ananya Panday will take center stage at Wankhede Stadium before the Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders match on March 31. The Indian Premier League¡¯s official social media handle confirmed the news on Sunday, announcing that Mumbai was celebrating 18 years of IPL with a glamorous performance by Ananya. The post highlighted that the actress would bring her charm and style to the #TATAIPL 18 Opening Ceremony, encouraging fans to get ready to dance along.
Actress Sara Ali Khan performed at the Guwahati stadium on March 30, setting the stage on fire before the Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings match. She described the experience as extraordinary, sharing that it was her first IPL performance and that the warm welcome she received made it even more special.
Sara also spoke about her family's cricketing legacy, mentioning that while people often remember her grandfather, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, as a cricketer, his father, Iftekhar Ali Pataudi, was also a part of the sport. She added that performing at the stadium made her feel as if she was carrying forward a part of this legacy in her own way.
This season¡¯s IPL has witnessed multiple high-profile performances across different stadiums. The grand opening ceremony at Kolkata¡¯s Eden Gardens on March 22 featured singer Shreya Ghoshal, rapper Karan Aujla, and actress Disha Patani. The event was hosted by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
Neeti Mohan and Siddharth Mahadevan entertained the crowd at the ACA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam ahead of the Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants match on March 24. At Chepauk Stadium in Chennai, Anirudh Ravichander's performance on March 23 energized the audience. Indian musician Amit Trivedi also captivated the crowd at Ahmedabad¡¯s Narendra Modi Stadium before the Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings match on March 25.
On the professional front, Ananya Panday is preparing for her next project, Chand Mera Dil, directed by Vivek Soni, where she will star alongside Lakshya.?
While many fans welcomed the news of Ananya Panday¡¯s performance, others were less impressed. One social media user commented that IPL¡¯s planning seemed strategic, noting that Sara Ali Khan performed ahead of the Rajasthan Royals match, while Ananya Panday was set to perform before Mumbai Indians, drawing a parallel with players Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya.
Another fan was critical of the selection, questioning why Ananya Panday was chosen for an event as big as IPL¡¯s 18th season. ¡°Come on, IPL is now 18 years old and you got Ananya Panday to perform. Find someone better or are you all cost-cutting this season?¡± the fan wrote.
A similar reaction came from another user, who pointed out a contradiction in the choice of performer. They asked why Ananya Panday was performing at MI¡¯s home stadium despite being a well-known Kolkata Knight Riders supporter, even tagging the Mumbai Indians' official account and writing, ¡°Have some shame @mipaltan.¡±
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