If you drove past Maa Flyover on Monday evening, chances are that you noticed the iconic ITC Royal Bengal illuminated in a royal shade of purple. This was done in honour of Knights Unplugged, the official unveiling of Kolkata Knight Riders to the city.
ITC Sonar and ITC Royal Bengal, which have hosted the Knights over the years, shone brightest in the Kolkata skyline on March 18. The buildings were adorned in the team’s dazzling purple and yellow, declaring that the two-time champions had arrived.
A viral reel by Calcutta Instagrammers, who worked with KKR and ITC to capture stunning drone shots of the hotel, has been doing the rounds. “We started working with ITC Hotels almost eight years ago, and would shoot the building when it was lit with the Tricolour on Republic Day and Independence day. Last year, they asked us to capture ITC Royal Bengal when it would be lit in purple, to welcome Team KKR,” said Sammya Brata Mullick, founder, Calcutta Instagrammers.
The video has garnered over three million views, and KKR liked it so much that they reached out to Calcutta Instagrammers themselves this year, to capture Knights Unplugged in a more comprehensive manner. “KKR gave us unparalleled access to the event. Rather than just capture its external beauty like last year, this time we wanted to integrate the arrival of the Knights, the fan event, and the purple lighting together, making for a complete story. This isn’t the end, and we have a lot of exciting projects with KKR in the pipeline,” beamed Mullick.
The Knights at the event
The Knights Unplugged event had multiple facets, from unveiling the new jersey and team, to panel discussions about the 2024 vision. It also included a riveting performance by KKR loyalist Usha Uthup, who introduced the anthem for the Knight Club Plus App, which will allow fans to engage with the team on a deeper level.
The city is submerged in the purple spirit. Are you ready to drown Eden in chants of “Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo”?
