Bollywood mania grips Asiad closing ceremony

By: Ashwin Ferro		Date: 2010-11-28		Place: Guangzhou

Bollywood mania grips host nation artists during a grand closing ceremony

A jump start (to the end) is what every Indian would have got at yesterday's dazzling closing ceremony of the 16th Asian Gameswhen some 200-odd Chinese dancers performed to the tune of Saajanji ghar aaye, dulhan kyon sharmaaye from the 1998 Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol Bollyood blockbuster of Kuch Kuch hota hai.

The performance was worth noting by our Hindi film choreographers, who along with cheap Chinese equipment, can now also source dancers for their projects from China.
The Chinese put up yet another fantastic show of song, dance and fireworks, just like the opening ceremony, less than a fortnight ago, at the amphitheatre-like closing ceremony venue on Haixinsha Island across the Pearl river here.

Chinese artists perform during the closing ceremony on Saturday. Pic/Getty images

Besides, dance performances based on music from China and India, there were dance routines to tunes from Japan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Lebanon and Mongolia. The brevity of the performances however was what stood out - roughly 45 minutes only was enough to enthrall the enthusiastic and participative 30,000-odd spectators, who had filled the venue to its capacity.

The flag-bearers of the 45 participating nations followed by their athletes then trooped in. India's gold medal-winning pugilist Vijender Singh, with a visible bandage across his left hand that was dislocated during his final bout against Uzbekistan's World Champion Abbos Atoev, held aloft the tri-colour.
Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah then gave Guangzhou 2010 a fitting tribute when he said: "This edition of the Games has been, without doubt, one of the most outstanding in the history of the event."
The OCA flag was then lowered and handed over by president of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee Liu Peng to Al-Sabah, who in turn handed it over to delegates from Korea, who will host the next edition of the Asian Games in 2014 at Incheon.
Moments later, China's traditional performances, suddenly made way for a brief but hep rock-star like show put on by Incheon - the place where sporting stars from Asia will shine.
Thereafter, infinite fireworks converted night into day even as the Asian Games flame was put off signaling the end of Guangzhou 2010. It's hello Incheon!

Closing ceremony in numbers
250,000 metres of wire on the stage
39,000 kilowatts electricity capacity at the venue
38,003 firework cartridges were set off
32,457 props used in 61 types
10,800 coloured pearls scattered on the ground
103 mins of music written by nine composers
4 months of rehearsals went into the final show