International rock band U2 performed in India for the first time ever yesterday at DY Patil, Mumbai.
While the band is known for its popular music, it is also known for being socially and politically aware.
In its recent concert in Mumbai, the band touched on topics like human rights violation and emphasized on giving peace a chance.
The band also paid tribute to female icons of the country during their, ‘The Joshua Tree Tour 2019’ in Mumbai and put spotlight on Karuna Nundy, Arundhati Roy, Gauri Lankesh among others.
#herstory #U2India
— Deeksha (@tedhikheer29) December 15, 2019
And ode to all those women…@TheQuint pic.twitter.com/SPVbcM99R8
The band also had a special segment, called ‘Herstory’ where the band projected pictures of different women on a giant screen at the backdrop of the stage while they played their popular song Ultraviolet.
#U2 celebrates female champions of the world. What an emotional moment. @RanaAyyub @smritiirani #SundayBloodySunday pic.twitter.com/ytM3FZ8OLH
— Radhika Bajaj (@radhikabajaj) December 15, 2019
The pictures included photos of Kalpana Chawla, Karuna Nundy, Gauri Lankesh and Rana Ayyub among others. They also acknowledged the contribution of Greta Thunberg.
Karuna Nundy thanked them for the gesture as well.
Thank you. I am feeling very pro Bono righ now #notsorry
— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) December 16, 2019
Band’s main lead Bono also added,
It’s a beautiful day when women are safe in their homes and walking the street. When sisters around the world are in schools with their brothers, that’s a beautiful day. When women of the world unite to rewrite history as ‘herstory’, that’s a beautiful day.
Bono: Women know what I am talking about. The minorities know what I am talking about. #u2ready @u2 #U2 pic.twitter.com/USRYpj3S8F
— ConsciouslyUncoupledSelfPartnered (@shubHASHISH) December 15, 2019
Highlighting the security concern of women in the country, the band also showcased pictures from the recent protest march in Hyderabad after a young vet was raped and burnt to death.
Ahimsa in Mumbai with A.R. Rahman on the final night of The Joshua Tree Tour 2019.#u2 #thejoshuatreetour2019 #mumbai #DYPatilStadium #ARRahman pic.twitter.com/KcuEbVoLHz
— U2 (@U2) December 16, 2019
Academy award winner and composer A.R. Rahman along with his children too performed with the band. Rahman and U2 sang their new song, Ahimsa for the first time ever at the concert.