Shah Rukh Khan, renowned Bollywood superstar, embarked on an ambitious venture in 2008 by acquiring the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). While expectations were high for immediate success, KKR faced a challenging start. Despite eventually clinching three IPL titles, Khan’s initial journey with the team was marked by emotional upheaval, including the unexpected experience of being booed at cricket matches where he was more accustomed to adoration as a film icon.
In the 2014 documentary Living with KKR, Shah Rukh Khan candidly addressed the unforeseen hurdles he encountered with the team. His involvement in the IPL was driven by a passion for cricket rather than personal gain. Yet, he disclosed that this association introduced unprecedented negativity into his life. “I have never wanted to be a part of IPL for personal success. I sometimes feel it has contributed to negatives in my career. I had never been booed in a stadium before. I can walk into a crowd of a lakh people, sling a guitar around my neck, and people would cheer for me. But in some stadiums here, I was booed, and I wondered—is this the same country where I am a big movie star?” Khan remarked.
Joy Bhattacharjya, then KKR’s Team Director, recalled a significant incident during a 2008 match against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. Shah Rukh was taken aback when the Mumbai crowd, in a city he considered home for two decades, booed him. “He wasn’t devastated because we lost the match, but because of the way the city he had adopted treated him,” Bhattacharjya said.
Before the game, sports journalist Gautam Bhattacharya recalled Shah Rukh’s heartfelt plea to his team. “He said, ‘In Mumbai, they call me king. I have never asked anything from you guys, but please win this match for me,’” he shared. Despite the earnest request, KKR lost the game, leaving Shah Rukh disheartened. Reflecting on this, he commented, “I like to believe that in my line of work, I have never let down an audience, and for the first time in my life, I felt like—are we letting people down?”
Although faced with initial setbacks, Shah Rukh Khan’s devotion to KKR remained steadfast. Over time, KKR overcame its struggles, transforming into a formidable force in IPL history. This journey underscored Khan’s determination, passion for cricket, and his unwavering faith in the team’s potential.
Shah Rukh Khan’s experiences with KKR reveal the complexities of sports ownership, where public perception can shift dramatically. His story serves as a compelling narrative of resilience, where personal disappointment is met with eventual triumph, illustrating the intricate dance between celebrity and sports enthusiasm.
