The excitement is at its peak and the stage is set. Indian Beliebers — fans of singer Justin Bieber — are ready to match steps, sing along and sway to his tunes at his maiden concert in India on Wednesday.
Preparations at the DY Patil Stadium ground in Mumbai are in full swing. A high-tech stage has been set up for Bieber to perform in front of around 45,000 people as part of his Purpose World Tour.
Fanatical fans of the “Baby” hitmaker were seen holding up posters of the 23-year-old pop star at the airport while awaiting his arrival, details of which have been closely guarded.
Bieber’s team is already soaking in the joys of being in India.
Nick Demoura, Creative Director of Bieber’s tour, tweeted an image of himself posing against the iconic Gateway of India.
One of Bieber’s backup dancers, Aubree Storm, has been enjoying her India trip since Monday.
“Today was amazing. India is everything I imagined and more. Namaste. Mumbai. Gate to India,” she posted. She also shared an image of a stack of saris. She captioned it: “There is something about this photo that is just incredible satisfying. Beautiful Mumbai.”
Actress Elarica Johnson is here already to be a part of the show, organised by White Fox India and sponsored by Jio.
Tickets for the show have been priced upwards of Rs5,000 (Dh283). Diamond, VVIP 1 and VVIP 2 tickets sold out on online ticketing platform BookMyShow in less than four hours.
Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said around 500 police personnel and 25 officers would be deployed for security and disaster management at the venue.
Bieber’s own personal security will be with him, but Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s personal bodyguard Shera has been appointed to take care of the young star.
The performances will begin at 4pm with Sarthak Sardana, better known by his stage name DJ Sartek, taking to the stage, followed by DJ Zaeden and then Norwegian DJ Alan Walker — before Bieber’s headlining act.
Expect a Bollywood touch at the concert — actress Jacqueline Fernandez will be hosting the Ultra Lounge for her celebrity friends at the concert. Her guest list includes the likes of Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Gauri Khan, Manish Malhotra and Kangana Ranaut.
There has been heightened interest in the preparations for Bieber’s gig, especially with his list of demands and the hospitality planned for his visit.
He will be served authentic cuisine representing the 29 Indian states. A convoy of 10 luxury sedans and two Volvo buses will be at the disposal of the artist and his entourage of 120 throughout their stay.
To top it off, a Rolls Royce has been reserved for Bieber. Even the suite of the five-star hotel where Bieber will stay has been modified to include Indian elements.
A string of designers have created customised souvenirs for the star, who will be accompanied to India by his mother. Together, they will explore Delhi, Agra and Jaipur after the much-awaited gig.
