Messi magic in Kolkata

As Kolkata gears up to welcome Lionel Messi on Saturday, the city has found its rhythm — in the form of a special anthem composed by Arindom Chatterjee and brought to life on screen by Manali De. The video, filled with the pulse of everyday Kolkata, captures how the football legend’s arrival has united an entire city.

A city anthem for the God of Football

When asked how it was to direct a music video for the first time, Manali said, “This is Messi’s anthem. Kolkata’s anthem. The song, composed by Arindom, is set to play not just across the city but also inside the stadium on Saturday.” Manali is not directing the music video itself, she is behind the vision of the music video as it is her first major directorial outing.

Featuring the real people of Kolkata in the music video

No celebrities, no players, no staged glamour. Manali chose to feature everyday Kolkata people like fish sellers, idol makers, flower market workers, young dancers, and people on the streets whose emotions for Messi need no prompting.
“Some are Messi fans, some are Ronaldo fans too in the music video. But when Messi comes to our own city, you can’t ignore him,” she said, adding, “If the God of football is coming, you forget which team you support. You just want to do something for him. My heartfelt thanks to Satadru Dutta for believing in me and trusting me with this task.”
The shoot took three and a half days across iconic Kolkata locations — Howrah flower market, Maniktala, Kumartuli, North Kolkata, Maniktala fish market and more. Each frame reflects raw, spontaneous reactions.

“I asked a fish seller to say 'Messi' four times and I remember he said 12 times while chopping the fish,” said Manali with a smile. Manali informed, “These are normal people who are featured in the video as they bring authenticity. I didn’t expect people to be so enthusiastic on the road on a busy working day. No acting but pure emotion which is Messi to us is the essence of this music video. Even a woman sculptor in Kumartuli initially refused to say Messi and insisted on saying namaskar instead before finally giving in with a laugh.”

Tango meets Rabindrasangeet: A fusion for Messi

A segment of the video was filmed in Mumbai, featuring a Tango troupe led by Khruti Gandhi. Since Tango is native to Argentina, Manali wanted that cultural essence to blend with Kolkata’s own art forms.
“The tango dancers will perform live in the stadium when Messi arrives. They will also collaborate with Kolkata’s own classical dancer Anushree Banerjee. It will be a fusion dance where Tango meets Rabindrasangeet.”

Kolkata awaits Messi with its heart on its sleeve

With Arindam’s music, Manali’s visuals, and the city’s people forming the soul of the video, Kolkata has built not just an anthem but a tribute. “As Messi arrives, the city won’t just cheer. It will sing, dance, and celebrate — the Kolkata way,” said Manali.

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