The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest cash-rich T20 League in the World. Ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, IPL founder Lalit Modi went on to recount stories about the initial phase of the tournament. Lalit Modi went on to reveal that Kolkata was not Shah Rukh Khan’s preferred choice. But after the purchase, he remained committed to Kolkata Knight Riders and made real contributions to making cricket entertaining.
Lalit Modi claimed that Kolkata was Shah Rukh Khan’s third choice. In fact, his first choice was always Mumbai. But he failed to get it after Mukesh Ambani got it in his pick. Following this, Shah Rukh Khan joined hands with Juh Chawla to buy Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping price of 570 crores back in 2008.
Not Kolkata, but Mumbai
“Bollywood and cricket sell in this country. I have always been a part of the glamor. Shah Rukh Khan went to school with me; we are school friends. When I approached him for cricket, I didn’t know much about it myself, but I told him, ‘I just want you to be a part of it.’ He was the number one pillar for the IPL,” Lalit Modi said in the Raj Shamani podcast.
Lalit Modi claimed that he wanted to merge entertainment with cricket and Shah Rukh Khan was his major bet in doing so. As a result, Modi claimed the Bollywood actor was a ‘pillar’ of IPL’s foundation. He went on to reveal how Shah Rukh Khan brought women and children to the sport from all parts of the world.
“Shah Rukh Khan bid for a team, even though he didn’t know anything about cricket. His first choice was Mumbai, but Mukesh Ambani took that. Kolkata was his eventual pick. But Shah Rukh’s real contribution was in making cricket entertaining. He brought women and children into the stadiums, which was critical for IPL’s success. That’s why we had music, cheerleaders, and a festival-like atmosphere—he turned it into an event for everyone,” Modi added.
Talking about Shah Rukh Khan’s influence, Lalit Modi further revealed how Bollywood stars were then instantly attracted to the IPL. Every actor followed Shah Rukh to make the IPL a cultural event.
“In year one, we had to beg or pay celebrities to come. By year two, they came on their own. After seeing Shah Rukh, everyone wanted in – Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, you name it. Shah Rukh’s presence turned the IPL into more than just cricket; it became a cultural movement,” Modi concluded.
