Come April 3 and Priyanka Chopra will hit a completely different pitch the cricket pitch, to be exact. The actor is scheduled to perform for the first time at the upcoming Indian Premier League’s (IPL) opening ceremony in Chennai. “I’m always very excited about performing live. And on this occasion, I am doubly eager because I’m looking forward to kick-starting the IPL season with a bang. It will be a completely new experience for me,” says Priyanka, who has been shooting for Krrish 3 with Hrithik Roshan for the past few days.
The previous seasons have seen dance acts from A-listers like Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. Hip-hop artiste Akon has also sung live at the T20 tournament. Apparently, IPL organisers were keen to have Priyanka as the performer this year since her acts at various award functions have become a talking point lately. “Priyanka has never done a live act at any sports event before, but she loves to perform. That’s why she puts in a lot of effort during rehearsals,” says a member of her entourage.
The Don 2 star has already performed at almost all the year’s top award functions. “As an actor, I have always attempted to make my appearances completely different from each other. I don’t want to reveal too much before the performance, but I can promise it’s going to be a lot of fun. So for the IPL, I will ensure that I match the energy and the excitement of the tournament itself,” chuckles Priyanka.
Although organisers are tight-lipped about the details of her act, it’s believed to be a theme-based performance. “Priyanka isn’t allowed to speak about her act. She will start the rehearsals in a few days. Since it’s a sports function, it might not feature too many Bollywood songs,” says the insider. At the moment, the actor is going juggling a hectic shooting schedule for multiple films like Anurag Basu’s Barfi!, Hrithik’s Krissh 3 and Kunal Kohli’s untitled next with Shahid Kapoor.
Salman returns to IPL! Besides Priyanka Chopra, Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan are also set to be part of the Indian Premier League’s opening ceremony at YMCA College of Physical Education on April 3 in Chennai. Apart from Bollywood stars, the ‘Opening Nite’ as per organisers will also feature a performance from a leading international artiste. Dancing sensation Prabhu Deva and musical duo Colonial Cousins will also perform at the event.
