Mumbai: The Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2018 is only getting bigger with every passing day. The official song of the quadrennial event to be held in Odisha capital later this year is being composed by A R Rahman.
The Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician is collaborating with none other than Gulzar for the title track, ‘Jai Hind Hind, Jai India’. With the two genius at work, we cannot but expect it to be a perfect blend of poetry and pulsating rhythm.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik lauded Rahman and Gulzar for agreeing to compose the track. “Delighted to announce that India’s pride A R Rahman is creating official song with the legendary Gulzar Sahab. At the Opening Ceremony, Rahman will perform it Live, his first performance in Odisha. Let the musical symphony create magic,” Naveen tweeted on Friday.
While the opening ceremony will be held on November 27, the song will be released at the Kalinga Stadium inauguration scheduled for early October, he further said.
The song’s theme is India, Odisha and purpose as being loftier than victory or defeat, he added.
“Nothing says India more than our beloved sport hockey. And nothing is more exciting than the world’s biggest hockey tournament happening right here, on our turf. The Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup, Bhubaneswar 2018,” Rahman said in a statement.
“It’s heart-warming to see the entire nation pledge their heartbeats for hockey. As an extension of pledging our heartbeats, Gulzar Sahab and I have created the World Cup Song. A song that will excite and inspire, as also get you on your feet. Join me in this celebration of hockey — of not just our men in blue but the spirit of the game, the spirit of universal oneness,” he added.
Rahman will also be directing the song’s video, which will be shot across the hockey heartlands of India.
This is the third time India is hosting the event after having organised it in 1982 in Mumbai and in 2010 in New Delhi.
