Bringing film industries together through cricket – that’s what Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) was all about. Held in a grand manner at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, the event saw top actors set off in an action of a different kind.
There was not a slightest bit of nervousness on their faces. In fact, just a few hours before the match, Metrolife met with some of the team members oozing with confidence and also saw the camaraderie between them.
Says Arya from the ‘Chennai Rhinos’ team, “I feel all the teams have taken the league very seriously. We have had intense practice sessions and people will see some serious cricket today.” In the stadium, the atmosphere was very different. Though the traffic went haywire, there was hardly any crowd inside.
One would imagine that a combination like cricket and cinema would be a sure-shot formula for pulling in the crowds.
Nevertheless, there was fan frenzy and those who did manage to make it for the matches were in for a treat. From folk dances, Vijay Prakash belting out ‘Jai Ho’ and cheer girls shaking a leg, to special appearances by Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha, fans lapped up every bit of the inauguration ceremony. However, not everyone enjoyed the ceremony.
Says Neha, a housewife, “The inauguration was really nice and colourful but I feel it could have been better.” As the cameras turned on for the first match between ‘Chennai Rhinos’ and ‘Telugu Warriors’, there was nothing but action on the field.
Every slip, trip or a dive drove the fans crazy but at the same time, it slowed the game as well. Each player took a long time to recoup, there were also a few fielders near the boundary line who were busy waving at the fans instead of concentrating on the ball.
But the fans were not complaining. “They are after all actors. There has to be drama. I don’t expect them to be like professional cricketers. It’s all in good fun,” says Devina, a student.
Despite the sudden showers, the first match was a close one with ‘Chennai Rhinos’ winning. The crowd soon geared up for the highlight of the day — the match between the ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’ and ‘Mumbai Heroes’.
The stadium filled up and the home team got the crowd support they deserved.
While ‘Mumbai Heroes’ put up a brave fight, it was ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’, who showed off their aggressive side in their batting.
A group of students from SRN Adarsh College were enjoying the match thoroughly in support of namma players. “I was 100 per cent sure from the beginning that they will win the match. The home-crowd energised and pressurised the players to perform well. I am a huge fan of Sudeep and I am confident that they will do well,’’ says Vinyas.
Though serious cricket took a backseat during the day, fans say that they were completely entertained. Adds Abhirath, “It was a star-studded affair and hence, very entertaining.’’
Akul Balaji, actor and anchor
“I was pretty confident about the success of ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’. All the players are equally talented and they were selected based on their performances. Sudeep is such a committed and dedicated captain and he has taken his responsibility seriously. I had played a couple of friendly-matches with him and he considered even those matches seriously.”
Syed Kirmani, former cricketer
“There used to be a time when actors used to watch our games on the field but today tables have turned. I am very impressed with the way the actors are playing on the field with confidence. Considering, this is their first time, kudos to their effort. I feel they can give any cricketer a good fight.”
Shivarajkumar, actor
“The rain did play spoilsport at first. But I am really happy to see so many stars come together under one roof and simply have fun. A league like this was long pending and I am glad it’s finally happening.”
Harshika Poonacha, actress
“The feeling of watching our actors on the field and playing so well is such a great feeling. While I enjoyed the first match, I was keen on watching our ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’ play. Dhruva and Sudeep took the cake but I must also appreciate Ritesh Deshmukh’s performance.”
There was not a slightest bit of nervousness on their faces. In fact, just a few hours before the match, Metrolife met with some of the team members oozing with confidence and also saw the camaraderie between them.
Says Arya from the ‘Chennai Rhinos’ team, “I feel all the teams have taken the league very seriously. We have had intense practice sessions and people will see some serious cricket today.” In the stadium, the atmosphere was very different. Though the traffic went haywire, there was hardly any crowd inside.
One would imagine that a combination like cricket and cinema would be a sure-shot formula for pulling in the crowds.
Nevertheless, there was fan frenzy and those who did manage to make it for the matches were in for a treat. From folk dances, Vijay Prakash belting out ‘Jai Ho’ and cheer girls shaking a leg, to special appearances by Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha, fans lapped up every bit of the inauguration ceremony. However, not everyone enjoyed the ceremony.
Says Neha, a housewife, “The inauguration was really nice and colourful but I feel it could have been better.” As the cameras turned on for the first match between ‘Chennai Rhinos’ and ‘Telugu Warriors’, there was nothing but action on the field.
Every slip, trip or a dive drove the fans crazy but at the same time, it slowed the game as well. Each player took a long time to recoup, there were also a few fielders near the boundary line who were busy waving at the fans instead of concentrating on the ball.
Despite the sudden showers, the first match was a close one with ‘Chennai Rhinos’ winning. The crowd soon geared up for the highlight of the day — the match between the ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’ and ‘Mumbai Heroes’.
The stadium filled up and the home team got the crowd support they deserved.
While ‘Mumbai Heroes’ put up a brave fight, it was ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’, who showed off their aggressive side in their batting.
A group of students from SRN Adarsh College were enjoying the match thoroughly in support of namma players. “I was 100 per cent sure from the beginning that they will win the match. The home-crowd energised and pressurised the players to perform well. I am a huge fan of Sudeep and I am confident that they will do well,’’ says Vinyas.
Though serious cricket took a backseat during the day, fans say that they were completely entertained. Adds Abhirath, “It was a star-studded affair and hence, very entertaining.’’
Akul Balaji, actor and anchor
“I was pretty confident about the success of ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’. All the players are equally talented and they were selected based on their performances. Sudeep is such a committed and dedicated captain and he has taken his responsibility seriously. I had played a couple of friendly-matches with him and he considered even those matches seriously.”
Syed Kirmani, former cricketer
“There used to be a time when actors used to watch our games on the field but today tables have turned. I am very impressed with the way the actors are playing on the field with confidence. Considering, this is their first time, kudos to their effort. I feel they can give any cricketer a good fight.”
Shivarajkumar, actor
“The rain did play spoilsport at first. But I am really happy to see so many stars come together under one roof and simply have fun. A league like this was long pending and I am glad it’s finally happening.”
Harshika Poonacha, actress
“The feeling of watching our actors on the field and playing so well is such a great feeling. While I enjoyed the first match, I was keen on watching our ‘Karnataka Bulldozers’ play. Dhruva and Sudeep took the cake but I must also appreciate Ritesh Deshmukh’s performance.”