The 44th edition of the world’s biggest chess event is slated be held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai from July 28 to August 10 of this year.
As part of the event promotion, the Tamil Nadu government has come out with a promo video welcoming the participants from across the world to Chennai. The promo was released by Actor Rajinikanth on Friday (July 18).
In the video, Chief Minister MK Stalin and AR Rahman stage a walk through Chennai’s iconic Napier bridge which has been painted like a chess board.
Bharatnatyam dancers are shown dancing in front of the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram. In another scene, dancers with hideous outfits circle around the Chief Minister MK Stalin as he bows his hand in ‘Namaste’ gesture.
CM Stalin and Rahman feature prominently in the video both of whom have no connection to chess whatsoever. On the other hand, chess icons like Viswanathan Anand, the young chess prodigy world champion Praggnanandhaa, Koneru Humpy were not shown even for a second. It is to be noted that Tamil Nadu is home to 27 of the 74 grand masters in India and none of them were featured in the promo ad released.
Many on social media pointed out that the musical video turned out to be a promotional exercise for MK Stalin rather than the chess event. Others also pointed out that the video had no Indian flag.
Both which has been can be seen walking with a smiling face and music director AR Rahman too making an appearance, both of whom have no connection with chess whatsoever.
One person on Twitter wrote “People who normally criticize Modi for his photo on corona vaccine certificates are now mum about this trash ad which looks like a cheaply made commercial film.”
It is to be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the first-ever torch relay for the Chess Olympiad at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on June 19. The torch relay will pass through 75 Indian cities before culminating at Chennai on July 27. Chess grandmasters will receive the torch at various identified venues.
With chess players from 187 countries set to participate, this 44th edition of the Chess Olympiad will be the largest tournament held by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
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