IPL opening ceremony 2024: Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff shake a leg; Sonu Nigam and A.R. Rahman enthral audience

Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff grooved to the beats of their hit songs, while Sonu Nigam and A.R. Rahman mesmerised the audience with their patriotic renditions during the opening ceremony of the 17th Indian Premier League (IPL) in Chennai on Friday.

Tiger brought the house down with his electrifying performance on the Jai Jai Shivshankar track from his 2019 spy-action thriller War. Dressed in a grey vest and camouflage trousers, the 34-year-old actor flaunted his ripped body.

Akshay, who will appear alongside Tiger in Ali Abbas Zafar’s upcoming action thriller Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, shook a leg on Subha Hone Na De song from his 2016 romcom Desi Boyz. The actor looked dashing in a grey jacket, paired with camouflage cargos.

Singer-music director Sonu Nigam, who is gearing up to kick off his UK Tour with a live show in London on March 29, enthralled the audience with his live rendition of Vande Mataram song from the 2019 film Romeo Akbar Walter.

The Kal Ho Naa Ho singer was joined by Oscar-winning musician A.R. Rahman on stage. The latter performed the song Maa Tujhe Salaam from his 1997 album Vande Mataram. While Sonu Nigam looked dapper in a black kurta paired with a grey Nehru jacket, Rahman opted for a sequined jacket worn over a black t-shirt.

Singer Neeti Mohan, looking gorgeous in a sequined purple jumpsuit, also performed alongside Sonu Nigam and A.R. Rahman. Singer Mohit Chauhan performed his 2009 hit song Masakali with Rahman, the composer of the Delhi-6 track.

Held at Chennai’s M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, the opening ceremony was followed by the inaugural match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. CSK emerged victorious in the first match. The opening ceremony can be streamed for free on JioCinema.