Scoring a boundary

We were very excited when we won, but now after the win, it’s back to the normal routine. KKR deserved the cup and we have once again repeated our success after 2012. However, the feeling of victory is still sinking in.

Q. 2 Do you play any sports?

I don’t play any sports now, but during my school days, I played squash, table tennis and throw ball. I don’t even follow cricket, and it is only during IPL that I watch the matches with interest. Since, I am not a sportsperson, I don’t really keep myself abreast of sports news either.

Q. 3 Is your family inclined towards sports?

Yes, they are very much involved in sports and are interested in other sports too besides cricket. My family loves football, cricket and Formula 1 races.

Q. 4 Which sport does your son like?

My son who is barely 10 years old, has been playing cricket since a long time. He also tried to be a part of the under 12 team in school, but unfortunately, he was not selected. He has now joined a cricket coaching club to improve his skills.

Q. 5 As you mentioned that you are not a cricket buff, so why did you decide to own a cricket team?

It was quite by chance that I became a part of the league. My husband, Jay Mehta knew Lalit Modi since their teenage years. It was Modi’s dream to create the IPL, and he approached my husband and Shah Rukh Khan with the proposal. In the initial years of the IPL, we had no idea how big the franchise would become.

Q. 6 Would you like to produce or direct a sports film?

After I saw Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, I found sports based films very inspiring. I also liked Nagesh Kukunoor’s film Iqbal based on cricket, and found it very inspiring and simple. Although, I would not act in it, I would love to make a sports based film.

Q. 7 Which is your favourite team apart from KKR?

KKR is my favourite team. When this season of IPL began, the way the teams were playing, I had an intuition that Preity’s (Zinta) team was going to be very strong. And it actually turned out to be so. Apart from KKR, I guess King’s XI Punjab was the top favourite with cricket lovers.

Q. 8 Do you have any favourite players in IPL?

All the players in my team are the best as without team effort this win would not have been possible. I remember Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine and Yusuf Pathan have played brilliantly and were star players. Also, when Robin Utthapa who earned the orange cap because he earned the highest number of runs in the tournament made us proud. All the boys played well at different levels.

Q. 9 What are your views on Bollywood’s association in the field of sports?

I think it is like a lovely marriage of sports and Bollywood. Whenever any initiative is supported by the film industry, it automatically comes into the limelight, as it then becomes easy to get sponsors. People love kabaddi, but the sport will only gain recognition if a Bollywood celebrity comes forward to support it.

Q. 10 Do you have plans to associate with any other sports apart from cricket?

I did ask my husband if we could do something with football, but he doesn’t feel that it will be a good proposition. If we do have a sport’s team in future, it would again be from Kolkata, since we have a base there. It would be better if we concentrate our energies there.