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Where Cricket meets Bollywood
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Articles -
The Diary
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Wednesday, 04 April 2012 16:39 |
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Contributed by James Roy
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(1320 views) |
Here we are. The fifth year in a row that the IPL comes and this time it’s officially a carnival. Gypsies from across the world come to entertain and enthrall the audience. Each talent has been hand-picked by a group of franchisees. The world’s finest at the most glamorous stage of them all.
Ever since its inception, (which wasn’t as dumbfounding as the movie), the IPL has unfolded like the script of a Bollywood movie. It began like any movie does; with a bang. It rose up like the protagonist to bring in a new world order. The cricketing world was taken by storm, much like south India when Rajnikanth appears on screen. Challenging the existing norms and traditions of society, our protagonist (IPL) was the modern day Robin Hood for local cricketers. Taking from the rich and giving to the slightly under-paid. It became a podium for every talented cricketer in India to orate a story through his game. Of course, such blasphemy is never left unpunished in the world of Hindi cinema. The IPL was thus threatened by politics. The Indian Government elections and the battle for votes drew IPL outside the country. Banished from its homeland, it took solace in South Africa, quite literally because of the fair weather of the land. But a hero far from home is a hero nevertheless. The IPL developed its fan club in a foreign nation as well. Like some suave anti-hero from a bad-ass movie, its awe had pierced the hearts and now flowed through the veins of the people in India. It had to be brought back under Indian jurisdiction.
Fearless and charismatic, the IPL came back to India bigger and stronger. After a year to consolidate itself once again, the IPL spread its wings and recruited two more merry men (Kochi and Pune). Its enemies grew, detractors became louder and a dark past of the IPL’s father (Lalit Modi) was revealed. Tarnished origins made the traditionalists of society Test cricket supporters) question this new brand of vigilantism. Like the angry dad, they wouldn’t let the love affair between the IPL and its heroine (the audience - us) continue. Reasons of harming players, cramping schedules, not being pure in what it does etc., cropped up in order to bring it down. But our hero still battles on. Buoyed by the leadership of a new found guru (Rajiv Shukla), the IPL begins its latest campaign. Even after losing one of its merry men (Kochi) and almost losing another (Pune), the IPL carries on nonchalantly.
The devil may care attitude of the so many Vijays of Bollywood which is also present in our protagonist has prompted the latest move of our hero. Like a slap in the face of all the detractors, the latest campaign proclaims to the world, that ‘I am what the world wants.’ Entertainment, entertainment, and more entertainment. Even Robin Hood of Sherwood would have kept something of what he stole. After all, he had to feed himself and his merry men. Let’s not forget, he had to keep Maid Marian happy too. Thus, so what if the IPL makes a little moolah as long as the cricketers get their due. It has been quite a dramatic movie so far. And here I thought that ‘Where Cricket meets Bollywood’ was just a line.
But just like no one ever tells us what happens during the ‘happily ever after’, this story too, so far hasn’t revealed the future of cricket. Are the traditionalists’ fears justified? Is IPL not cricket but a carnival? Is IPL ruining the skills of cricketers? Will it make Test cricket obsolete? Will it ruin the health of its participants? Will it rob the players of the pride of playing for one’s country? Will it eventually make international cricket boring?
I guess these are questions for people of the future. For me, the IPL makes a great 7-10 pm watch. It’s
much better than watching ads interspersed with a movie. So, as the carnival, show or whatever it has been called begins, let’s just sit back and enjoy. When entertainment calls out to you, it’s hard to watch from the sidelines. Come be a part. After all, this is the IPL, boss!!!!
!joomlacomment 4.0 Copyright (C) 2009 Compojoom.com . All rights reserved."
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Last Updated on Friday, 20 July 2012 22:40 |
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