Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood legend stepped into the world of cricket in 2008 as co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite being loved for his work in the film industry, Shah Rukh found himself facing boos from the crowd. The rejection left him questioning, “Is this the same country where I am a big movie star?”
SRK Booed in the Stadium
In the 2014 documentary Living with KKR, Shah Rukh opened up about the emotional devastation that came with the experience of getting booed. “I never wanted to be a part of the IPL for personal success,” he revealed. “In fact, I think it may have even brought negatives to my career. I had never been booed in a stadium. I can walk into a crowd of a lakh people, sling a guitar around my neck and people would cheer me on. Sometimes, I go to stadiums here where I am booed and I think is this the same country where I am a big movie star?” he expressed.
One particular moment stood out as a painful reminder in 2008 at Wankhede Stadium. Joy Bhattacharjya, then KKR’s Team Director, recalled SRK’s reaction after being booed at a clash between KKR and Mumbai Indians “He wasn’t devastated because we lost; he was devastated because the city he had called home for 20 years—the city that had embraced him—had turned against him,” he said.
SRK’s journey with KKR
The boos, however, were just the beginning. Shah Rukh was banned at the Wankhede Stadium in 2012, after an altercation. Even though the team was criticized for their early failures, their fortunes eventually began to shift. KKR won IPL titles in the years 2012, 2014, and 2024 and fixed their place among the league’s elite. The booes started fading and Shah Rukh Khan’s belief in KKR yielded fruitful results.
KKR in 2025
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders started their IPL 2025 journey on a disappointing note when they lost the season’s opening game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, they bounced back in the second game and added two points on the board. Unfortunately, their recent loss in the third game has led to the team slipping to the bottom of the table. Will they be able to win the upcoming match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, it is something to watch out for.
