SRK eager to join IPL festivities

Bollywood’s big-screen king, Shahrukh Khan, has taken a month-long break from his busy shooting schedule for the forth coming Indian Premier League cricket feast in South Africa.

Khan, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders, one of the IPL teams in the tournament, which begins in Cape Town on April 18, will arrive in the country in the next two weeks accompanied by his wife, Gauri, their children, Aryan and Suhana, and his “beautiful mother-in-law”.

The IPL, a franchise-based Twenty20 competition organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, will run until May 24.

It was moved from India to South Africa because of concern that players’ safety could not be guaranteed since it coincided with the country’s general election.

In an interview with the Sunday Times Extra this week, Khan, 43, said he had a shoulder injury that was aggravated during the shooting of Billu Barber and had delayed his trip, or else he would have “come today”.

“I will be there throughout, celebrating the spirit of South Africa. The Asians and locals were so warm to me and my son when I came for the Twenty20 World Cup. It’s my duty, love and absolute allegiance to your beautiful land that make me want to be there.

“Also, with the Kolkata Knight Riders, the African wildlife will get even wilder, so be ready for Korbo — Lorbo — Jeetbo (the KKR theme song) to become the new call of the wild,” he said.

Khan said it was a chance “for me to say thanks to all my beautiful fans in South Africa”.

Last week, Bollywood beauty Shilpa Shetty, co-owner of reigning IPL champions Rajasthan Royals, arrived in the country for the planning of the IPL.

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said apart from the player parade, “the people of South Africa will witness a whole level of different activities, including a host of Bollywood celebrities and some community initiatives that we have planned to make the event memorable for South Africa”.