Kunal Ganjawala had given up watching cricket following the betting controversies. But his faith has been restored by India’s World Cup win. “At 32 for 2, I was expecting the team to crumble. I switched off the TV and didn’t switch it on till I heard the crackers. We played like champs and all the teams played clean,” says the singer-composer-lyricist, an ardent supporter of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption campaign.
Kunal’s pride will be on show in the 10-minute opening act with singer Sunidhi Chauhan and musician Taufiq Qureshi at IPL’s flag-off ceremony. The trio will get three-minutes each and Kunal will sing World hold on…
Two years ago he’d sung it for Mission Istanbul with wife Gayatri and Raaj who crooned Bob Sinclar’s words from the original. The song was picked from half-a-dozen others because the original was a chartbuster, and it was felt that there would be an immediate connect with the huge international audience. With its smattering of English words, it would have a wider reach.
“Also, it encapsulates the spirit of the IPL. Just four days ago, these cricketers were playing for national pride and now they have merged to play for an Indian team,” Kunal smiles, saying he’d have loved to compose an original song but was informed just three days ago.
Hasn’t he been approached to compose an anthem for one of the teams? “I’d love to but most people only think of me only as a singer. Also, they either go for the current No 1 or a cheaper alternative. I’m the second or third most expensive singer,” he says. How much will this song get him? “That my manager can tell you. I’m doing it for the spirit of the game.”
{{/usCountry}}Hasn’t he been approached to compose an anthem for one of the teams? “I’d love to but most people only think of me only as a singer. Also, they either go for the current No 1 or a cheaper alternative. I’m the second or third most expensive singer,” he says. How much will this song get him? “That my manager can tell you. I’m doing it for the spirit of the game.”
{{/usCountry}}