Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra (centre) performs with dancers during the inauguration of the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament in Kolkata on Sunday.
AFP/Kolkata
India's new football league kicked off on Sunday with a spirited clash and a glitzy pyrotechnic opening ceremony that organisers hope will ignite the country's passion for the "beautiful game".
Atletico de Kolkata trounced Mumbai City 3-0 in the first match of the Indian Super League (ISL), that has lured former international stars such as Spain's Luis Garcia and France's Nicolas Anelka out of retirement.
Cricketing great Sourav Ganguly said the league was the beginning of something great, arguing that there was room for football in the cricket-obsessed country of 1.2bn people.
"It may not be cricket but it will be the next biggest sport," Ganguly, co-owner of Kolkata, said ahead of the kick-off.
"Everybody will be pleasantly surprised as the tournament goes on," the former national captain said.
He conceded that the international veterans fronting the eight teams are "not the current stars of football", but predicted the league would eventually attract the best in the game.
"Obviously they are not the current stars, that will happen over time. It's the beginning of something."
Sunday's opening ceremony included throbbing Bollywood music, dancers and a large fireworks display over Kolkata's Salt Lake stadium seating some 70,000 fans, business people and celebrities.
Organisers hope the city-based franchises, modelled on cricket's glamorous Indian Premier League, will bolster popularity for the sport during the 10-week competition.
Rupert Murdoch's Star TV is showing the tournament, which is also backed by sports management giant IMG and Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
Cricketing greats such as Sachin Tendulkar and Bollywood A-listers are co-owners of the teams along with Atletico Madrid of Spain's La Liga.
The crowd roared with approval and chanted Tendulkar's name as he entered the centre of the ground ahead of the kick-off.
The two coaches for Sunday's match pledged to "deliver the goods" even though the opener was missing its star players.