| Bollywood (read Hindi movies) megastar Shah Rukh | | | | boards over which the players often fall to save |
| Khan or King Khan was very upset with an official of | | | | fours and tend to injure themselves. But the dough |
| the Board of Control of Cricket for India (BCCI). | | | | flows in continuously. That is what matters. So, the |
| King Khan had a point. There is no dictate that a | | | | ticket price that Khan paid was a pittance and the |
| movie megastar cannot be a cricket fan. In fact, | | | | hype he got was an unjustified reward. |
| most of the film stars are avid cricket fans. They like | | | | Khan righteously cried hoarse. He said that after this |
| to watch the one day internationals in particular and | | | | he would never go to a cricket match. He went |
| deservedly get a lot of attention and camera angles. | | | | there for the sake of his children only and because |
| They also pose with the cricket superstars in many | | | | he loved the game. |
| commercials. It's a health competition between | | | | The media loved it. Satellite TV channels kept on |
| them-who can command the highest price. | | | | breaking the news for more than twenty four hours. |
| The BCCI official had a point too. Movie stars come | | | | More controversies were created. Some old |
| to watch matches to get a huge dose of free | | | | cricketers supported the bereaved Khan. Divisions |
| publicity. To make matters worse King Khan had just | | | | were created in the hierarchy of the BCCI. More |
| released a film which had been doing good business | | | | hype was generated and Khan's new film got |
| both at home and overseas. The official alleged that | | | | mentioned all the time. The BCCI was forced to send |
| Khan came to the match only to promote his film. | | | | in a fresh invitation to Khan to visit the next |
| The rabid attention he commanded there added | | | | matches. |
| more hype to the film. | | | | In India cricket and movies are tremendous crowd |
| The BCCI is perhaps the richest cricket board in the | | | | pullers, and so the big bucks, the cross current of |
| world. It sells everything from the players' gears to | | | | sentiments, emotions, passions, rage and outrage. |
| the small screen spaces. Commercials are crammed | | | | The complaining board official must have rued his |
| into the tiny intervals in between the overs. Now, | | | | outburst because it was ultimately Khan who had the |
| even micro intervals in between balls are not spared. | | | | best of both worlds. |
| The small screen gets smaller with brand names and | | | | Buy one get one free. King Khan got one free |
| logos clogging the sides. The screen gets back to | | | | without even buying the other. Well, we have a point |
| normal size to accommodate the next ball. The | | | | too. |
| cricket field boundaries are lined up with advertising | | | | |