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‘Jai Shri Ram’ and Jasprit Bumrah: Coldplay’s Mumbai concert was a celebration of music and culture

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Mumbai, Jan 19: From asking what ‘Jai Shri Ram’ means to giving a tongue-in-cheek shout-out to cricketer Jasprit Bumrah, Coldplay’s first concert in India in nine years was nothing short of a cultural celebration where the band’s frontman Chris Martin captivated the audience with his humour and curiosity.

There were plenty of unforgettable moments that resonated deeply with fans at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium where Coldplay kick-started their ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour’ in India.

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For two hours at the packed stadium, Martin belted out chartbuster tracks like “Paradise”, “Viva La Vida”, “Adventure of a Lifetime”, “Yellow”, “Fix You”, and “A Sky Full of Stars”, among others.

One of the evening’s most stand moments came when Martin noticed a fan holding a placard that read “Jai Shri Ram.” Curious, he uttered the phrase, igniting thunderous cheers from the crowd.

He then said, “What does Jai Shri Ram mean? Must be something good.” Martin’s innocent inquiry about the meaning of the phrase only heightened the audience’s excitement.

Throughout the evening, Martin made a concerted effort to connect with the audience in their native tongues. His attempts to speak Hindi and Marathi were met with overwhelming warmth.

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At the beginning of the concert, he interacted with the crowd in Marathi, Hindi, and English.

He began by saying in Marathi, “Tumhee saghre aaj chaan distat’ (You all look beautiful today).

He then said in Hindi, “Aap sab ka bahut swagat hai humare show pe. Mumbai mein aakar hume bahut khushi ho rahi hai. (You’re all very welcome to our show. We feel happy after coming to Mumbai.) “Sorry, my Hindi and Marathi are bad but I tried my best,” he said, before switching to English.

The British musician thanked Indian fans for giving him the chance to play in one of “our favourite places in the whole world”.

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“This is our fourth visit to India, the second time playing, and the first time played our show, and we couldn’t have asked for a better audience. It’s amazing you welcome us,” Martin said.

The singer-songwriter frequently checked on the crowd and made a point to ensure that they were well taken care of, asking about their well-being and hydration.

Looking at the various placards held by fans, he said, now is the good time to read some of the signs.

While reading placards by fans, such as ‘Happy Birthday to you’, ‘Love to mom she is fighting cancer’, ‘I love Coldplay’, ‘Welcome from Calcutta’, and ‘I remember you from the Temple’, Martin responded, ‘Yes, I think so. I remember you. I went to some amazing places.’

He later invited a 15-year-old boy whose message read: ‘Aum, I manifested this moment. I am ready for it. Can I sing ‘Everglow’ with you?’ Martin fulfilled the boy’s wish as the two sang the track together. A few minutes later, while performing the song “Alien”, Martin even invited a male security guard on stage, who danced his heart out.

The D Y Patil sports stadium, which is primarily a cricket stadium, though it is sometimes used for football, music concerts and other events, was glowing amidst the colourful lights courtesy of the recyclable light wristbands that all the attendees were wearing and the great firework displayed at the end of the concert.

At one point the fireworks didn’t light up at the opportune time, and Martin said, ‘It’s taking a bit of time for it to get lit up. Can we all make firework sounds?’. The crowd followed him in unison till the skies were lit.

Towards the end of the concert, Martin stopped crooning and teased fans saying he needed to wrap it soon since it was time for Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah to play cricket at the stadium.

“We got to finish the show because Jasprit Bumrah wants to come and play cricket backstage. Thank you very much, everybody, good night. He says he needs to ball at me,” he said leaving the crowd craving for some more songs.  

“We love you Jasprit. So, we are going to ask him to wait for 15 minutes. So, we would like to play the song one more time, this time with four of us and the 60,000 of you all in the same breath,” Martin added.

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The Hills Times
The Hills Timeshttps://www.thehillstimes.in/
Welcome to The Hills Times, your trusted source for daily news and updates in English from the heart of Assam, India. Since our establishment in 2000, we've been dedicated to providing timely and accurate information to our readers in Diphu and Guwahati. As the first English newspaper in the then undemarcated Karbi Anglong district, we've forged a strong connection with diverse communities and age groups, earning a reputation for being a reliable source of news and insights. In addition to our print edition, we keep pace with the digital age through our website, https://thehillstimes.in, where we diligently update our readers with the latest happenings day by day. Whether it's local events, regional developments, or global news, The Hills Times strives to keep you informed with dedication and integrity. Join us in staying ahead of the curve and exploring the world through our lens.
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