Bieber fever on a high in Mumbai

The excitement is at its peak, the stage is set. Indian 'Beliebers' -- fans of Justin Bieber -- are ready to match steps, lip sync and sway to his tunes at the Grammy Award winning Canadian singer's maiden concert in India here on Wednesday.

Preparations at the DY Patil Stadium ground have been on in full swing. A high-tech stage has been set up for Bieber to regale about 45,000 admirers with a show that is a part of his Purpose World Tour.

Fanatical fans of the "Baby" hitmaker were seen holding up posters of the 23-year-old pop star at the airport while awaiting his arrival, details of which have been closely guarded.

"Dubai is incredible... India you are next. Amit Bhatia, you ready? Purpose Tour Stadiums," Bieber tweeted early on Tuesday.

His team is already soaking in the joys of being in India.

Nick Demoura, Creative Director of Bieber's tour, tweeted an image of himself posing against the iconic Gateway of India.

One of Bieber's backup dancers, Aubree Storm, has been enjoying her India trip since Monday.

"Today was amazing. India is everything I imagined and more. Namaste. Mumbai. Gate to India," she posted. She also shared an image of a stack of saris. She captioned it: "There is something about this photo that is just incredible satisfying. Beautiful Mumbai."

"Harry Potter" actress Elarica Johnson is here already to be a part of the show, organised by White Fox India and sponsored by Jio.

All strings are being pulled to ensure proper safety and security for the show, tickets for which have been priced upwards of Rs 5,000. Diamond, VVIP 1 and VVIP 2 tickets had sold out on online ticketing platform BookMyShow in a span of less than four hours.

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said around 500 police personnel and 25 officers would be deployed for security and emergency disaster management at the venue.

Bieber's own personal security will be with him, but Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's personal bodyguard Shera has been appointed to take care of the young and hugely successful global singing sensation.

Bieber came to the fore around 2008, promoted by Usher. "Baby" became his claim to fame in 2010 and he garnered a huge fan, which continued to grow with songs like "Where are u now", "Boyfriend", "Love yourself" and "As long as you love me".

These are also the songs Bieber is likely to perform here. The concert is being held to promote his new album "Purpose".

The performances will begin at 4 p.m. with Sarthak Sardana, better known by his stage name DJ Sartek, taking to the stage, followed by DJ Zaeden and then Norwegian DJ Alan Walker -- before Bieber's headlining act.

Expect a Bollywood touch at the concert -- actress Jacqueline Fernandez will be hosting the Ultra Lounge for her celebrity friends at the concert. Her guest list includes the likes of Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Gauri Khan, Manish Malhotra and Kangana Ranaut.

There has been heightened interest in the preparations for Bieber's gig, especially with his list of demands and the hospitality planned for his visit.

He will be served rich authentic cuisine representing the 29 Indian states. A convoy of 10 luxury sedans and two Volvo buses will be at the disposal of the artiste and his entourage of 120 throughout their stay.

To top it, a Rolls Royce has been reserved for Bieber. Even the suite of the five-star hotel where Bieber will stay has been modified to include truly Indian elements.

A string of designers have created customised souveneirs for the star, who will be accompanied to India by his mother. Together, they will explore Delhi, Agra and Jaipur after the much-awaited gig.

--IANS

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