The World Cup is over but the madness and fireworks are far from over. IPL season 8 kicks off from April 8 with Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians game.
India’s biggest cricket carnival starts off with a glittery opening ceremony on Tuesday as several stars from Bollywood line-up for some breath-taking performances to start the IPL.
The two-hour gala featuring Bollywood stars Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Pritam and Hrithik Roshan is scheduled to start at 7:30 pm.
Indian Premier League (IPL) has become synonymous with money, fame, glamour and entertainment.
IPL is essentially ‘entertainment in cricket’. The creators of the IPL seek to not only bring the game of cricket for lovers of the game but also seek to involve non-cricket lovers by providing a healthy dose of entertainment to them. Here are some significant factors which contribute to the glamour in IPL.
Team Owners
When IPL began, there was a crazy hike to get hold of the teams. Major personalities from the corporate world and Bollywood invested in different teams bombarding a lot of money. The team owners like Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Mallya, Mukesh Ambani, Ness Wadia, Shilpa Sheity and Preity Zinta along with others take active interest in the success of their respective teams.
Parties
IPL parties are another regular feature of the IPL business. An after party is held after almost every match. It includes a ramp show following which the players, organizers, models and actors mingle with each other. The after parties are high on glamour as it brings together high profile people together and are a treat for the common people to know about.
Brand Ambassadors
Brand ambassadors are an integral part of the IPL as they increase the prestige value of the teams by being associated with them. Last year we saw a lot of Bollywood stars like Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal on the field cheering for their respective teams.
Money
Money can be said to be the primary driving force in the IPL tournament. Cash flows in from every corner in the IPL. From cash rich teams to large amount of money paid to the players, everything in IPL essentially revolves around making money.
Cheerleaders
Despite a lot of controversy surrounding the cheerleaders, they bring in the main glamour on field. The glittery pom poms and shimmering outfits do a lot to lift the moods of the spectators and the players. Cheerleading boosts the spirit of the game and helps ease the tension on the field. Each year, international cheerleaders have been brought in each year and the same is expected this year too.
Bollywood effect
No one can deny the fact that many KKR fans flock to Eden Gardens more to see Shah Rukh Khan dancing in the stands, rather than the cricket itself.
Deepika Padukone kissing Siddharth Mallya grabbed more eyeballs than the reaction of Royal Challengers players after a victory. And it cannot be denied that players, who are not really superstars, can get swayed by the fact that they are in such close proximity to Bollywood’s who’s who.
And then there is the dark side. The after-match parties had turned murky even during the first season. The glamour not only attracted the players, but it also provided an environment for the bookies to make their contacts.
And that happened away from the dressing rooms and the stadiums, cricket took a back seat among cheerleaders, booze and an environment that said it was more important to have fun than to play the game. It is an open secret that the underworld has deep roots in Bollywood.
Â