Modi in UK: ‘Baby Doll’ singer Kanika Kapoor to sing at Wembley event

Singer Kanika Kapoor

A performance by Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor, popular for hit numbers like Baby Doll and Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan, will greet Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he reaches London’s Wembley Stadium to address a gathering of the Indian community on November 13.

Vijay Chauthaiwale, chief of the BJP’s foreign affairs cell, who made several trips to London to finalise the programme and is now camping here, confirmed that Kapoor would be performing at the event. “She is the only Bollywood performer at the event,” he said.

Those familiar with Kanika Kapoor’s selection said she was chosen as she is an example of an Indian woman who faced a bad marriage in the UK, and went on to become successful in her vocation.

Kapoor will sing a new welcome song for Modi, which has been penned by ad guru Piyush Pandey.

Apart from her song, there will be a performance of choreographed Yoga at the stadium. “We wanted to showcase things that are close to the Prime Minister’s heart,” said an official involved with the arrangements. A choir of children from the Indian community will also perform at the event. The cultural extravaganza will also witness performances by drummers and bagpipers.

Organisers said that they have received a massive response to the call for video messages and a few of them will be shown at the giant screens of Wembley Stadium.

Many people sent videos featuring their kids — some as young as three-year-old. The messages include answers to questions like “If there was a piece of India you could bring back to the UK, what would it be?” The answers ranged from “Paani puri” to “rickshaws” to “cousins”.

Mayuri Parmar, one of the organisers, said, “We are expecting about 60,000 people… This is the biggest welcome an Indian PM has ever got. The only events comparable to this were visits by the Pope and Nelson Mandela.”