After months of build-up the Global Citizen concert finally happened at the MMRDA ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai on Saturdaywith international artists like Coldplay, Jay Z, Demi Lovato and more performing.
Thousands turned up to witness the evening which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who made his presence felt through video conference, and other prominent personalities like Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sachin Tendulkar and industrialist Ratan Tata.
Addressing the 80,000 attendees, Modi, who had attended an edition of Global Citizen Festival in 2014 in New York, said: "I know that I stand between you and Coldplay and so will make this brief." He also spoke about making a Swachch Bharat - free from all forms of filth - in one generation.
Our nation's leader, the Hon'ble PM, Shri @narendramodi gives an inspiring speech at #GlobalCitizenIndia Festival. pic.twitter.com/A5mujHpvtl
— Global Citizen India (@glblctznIN) November 19, 2016
With demonetisation on everyone's minds,Modi was unafraid to make a joke at his own expense, saying,"You've been smart in asking me to only address a gathering and not sing, or else I'm sure you'd be asking money back, that too in Rs 100 notes."
He even quoted singer-song writer and Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan's iconic lines, "The times, they are a-changing". He went on to quote Coldplay's Adventure of a Lifetime and said, "You can see the change you want to, be what you want to be, everything you want is a dream away."
Referring to his keenness to work with the youth, he said: "You bring an energy and idealism that is unparalleled."
Ever since the concert, social media has been abuzz with pictures and videos of the evening, which featured foot tapping performances by various artists including Farhan Akhtar, Arijit Singh, Shankar Ehsaan Loy and AR Rahman.
Check these out:
From one legend to the other, @iamsrk invites @arrahman on stage at #GlobalCitizenIndia. pic.twitter.com/980SpHQPOD
— Global Citizen India (@glblctznIN) November 19, 2016
Amazing duo on stage @SrBachchan, @FarOutAkhtar .Highlight of the day! #GlobalCitizenIndia pic.twitter.com/si8vcgyb3N
— Global Citizen India (@glblctznIN) November 19, 2016
A quick picture with @BecauseImFreida & @iamsrk before we went onstage at the @glblctznIN festival! #globalcitizenindia pic.twitter.com/fVH9b7fJF1
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 19, 2016
King Khan and Sachin Tendulkar talk about Coldplay at #GlobalCitizenIndia event pic.twitter.com/lkWASeIYHo
— SRK Universe (@SRKUniverse) November 19, 2016
PHOTO: A high flying Chris Martin with the Indian flag during A Sky Full Of Stars #GlobalCitizenIndia #ColdplayMumbai [HughEvans] pic.twitter.com/8OYTjNNSWQ
— Atlas Project (@ColdplayAtlas) November 19, 2016
glblctznIN: An amazing 20 minutes on stage by @ddlovato #GlobalCitizenIndia pic.twitter.com/vi6ogNlrBf
— Demi Lovato News (@justcatchmedemi) November 19, 2016
A little bit of the first Coldplay's concert in India #AHFODTour #ColdplayMumbai pic.twitter.com/SWG9kxA3F7
— AHFOD TOUR (@AHFODTourNews) November 19, 2016
Chris Martin in a school in Mumbai #ColdplayMumbai #AHFODtour pic.twitter.com/ZCCGK7aF6h
— Coldplay fans (@Coldplayvideo) November 18, 2016
#GlobalCitizenIndia @ShankarEhsanLoy @TheArijitSingh and @monalithakur03 performing live! pic.twitter.com/QNGKWde235
— pinkvilla (@pinkvilla) November 19, 2016
And if Coldplay crooning evergreen numbers like "Fix You", "Yellow", "The Scientist" and "Paradise" wasn't exciting enough, their lead vocalist Chris Martin even shared the stage with AR Rahman to sing "Maa Tujhe Salaam" and even did a mashup of Arijit Singh's "Channa Mereya" before "Sky full of stars".