Bathinda, December 1
The third edition of World Cup Kabaddi got off to a colourful start here tonight with Bollywood star Akshay Kumar performing to the sound track of his upcoming film ‘Khiladi 786’.

Akshay Kumar and Asin of ‘Ghajini’ fame entered the Multipurpose Sports Stadium here on a decked up truck in traditional Punjabi attire. Punjabi singers Miss Pooja and Satinder Satti also performed on the occasion.

The fortnight-long event in which 23 teams — 16 of men and seven of women — from six continents are participating, was declared open by Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. Akshay congratulated Sukhbir for “keeping kabaddi alive” and said he was thrilled to be here as a Punjabi.

He announced venturing into Punjabi film-making, saying he had earned a lot of name and fame and it was “payback time”. “I have earned a lot and it is time to give back to my home state by producing Punjabi films,” said, Akshay, whose father belongs to Amritsar. He will produce a Punjabi comedy ‘Paaji in Trouble’ whose shooting will begin soon.

The inaugural ceremony began with CM Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir paying homage to late PM IK Gujral. They reiterated their resolve to make Punjab most literate in scientific temperament and nurture its sports talent, as visualised by Gujral. Badal dedicated the championship to Gujral.