Showtime CEO Avik Prabhu on the spectacle of Hero ISL’s opening ceremony

The event was brought to life by Showtime Events after what they claim to be “4 to 5 months of meticulous planning, rigorous execution and support of on-ground local partners”.

“It takes a very strong creative vision, a very experienced production team, and the empowerment of very supportive partners, both financially and operationally, to arrange an event of this caliber,” said Avik Prabhu, CEO, Showtime Group.

The ceremony, which saw an impressive display of light and sound effects, had put together a hi-tech ensemble with assistance from an international tie-up. Hi-definition projectors were used , and fourth generation digital network protocols like DMX linking controllers for intelligent lighting and special effects, and YMX Wifi controlled LED display were incorporated. Technological extravaganza combined with human performance delivered a memorable experience.

Jacqueline Fernandes introduced the audience to a spectacular evening to the tunes of ‘Sooraj Dooba hai Yaaron’. Stars Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt along with 500 other artists further spiked the Bollywood flavor to make the prequel to the first match memorable. The artist line up had been deliberated on for long hours by the core team and finalized with guidance from Star India, explained Prabhu.

He added “Star’s long-standing experience helped us to come up with the Bollywood connect that would resonate strongly with the youth-centric football league”.

Security threats being a major source of worry for event planners in present times was given considerable priority. In spite of the large number of attendees, every individual were checked for credentials, according to the organizers.

A robust venue operations team managed the logistics seamlessly, and with responsible cooperation from the crowd, the 30 minute show was a “resounding success” says a source present during the ceremony.