DADA vs KOLKATA @ IPL-4

PRINCE OF CALCUTTA vs KING KHAN on 19th May 2011

what do you call a phoenix rising from the ashes in Bengal? Sourav Ganguly. Touche!

In a land that still stinks of illiteracy and poverty, in a country that’s more prejudiced than the security at US airports, here is a game fest that’s minting money on every single account. Added bonus: the husbands are coming home early for dinner 

A showpiece event that’s kept the janata glued to the telly for four years in the running now. And shown how cities have grown more important than countries 

A mere gap of six days after the World Cup, and we were thrown into Delhi vs Calcutta, Mumbai vs Chennai, Bangalore vs Hyderabad,et al.

Sri Lankans bonding with the Aussies, New Zealanders sharing bonhomie with the West Indians, South Africans breaking bread with the Indians. Mixed chow has always been very popular on the menu.

And so has the format. A 20-over game, over in a matter of three hours.... Watch it like a movie packed
with drama and action, bombshells strutting their stuff on the field… ummmmm… We love them all. But
not the politics behind it. 

Jaws dropped after Mission Ganguly. The Bengal Tiger was stunned as none of the franchises touched him. The media went on an overdrive and King Khan remained uncharacteristically silent. “How?!” was the only question that remained on everybody’s lips.

Bengal cried. No Dada—No KKR, No IPL. Eden witnessed empty stands for a match. But then
grudges aren’t permanent and public memory’s shorter than Mallika Sherawat’s dresses.

Haar ke jeetne waale ko Baazigar kehte hain. Eden was soon back in form. Even Dada came to watch a
game. SRK waved from afar. And people watched the tamasha in full glare.

Two days later, a mini-explosion rocked the city Headlines screamed: “Dada to play for Pune”.“How?!” was the question again on everybody’s lips.

Dada smiled, as a bleary-eyed city helped him pack his bags. Like an emotional Bollywood flick, Bengal’s most favourite son was bid farewell. And Calcutta’s greatest sporting icon was lost to the land of the Marathas.

Proving a point to Shah Rukh Khan is most certainly not on Mr Ganguly’s agenda. Having faced bigger
controversies in life, playing or not playing in IPL-4 would hardly make a difference to the Prince of
Calcutta.

But then the ruthless fact raps your knuckles hard every now and then. Calcutta’s loss is Pune’s gain.
And as a Maharaj and a Yuvraj team up to give “sahara” to a team that’s hit rock bottom, you wonder what
else would make your eyeballs pop out.

Calcutta is currently waiting for the 19th of May. The day that would test both sides equally. The Warriors
versus The Knights. Sourav Ganguly vs Shah Rukh Khan. 

Ghoshbabu gets super-charged. “This is a scene inspired by the Mahabharata perhaps, where one son of the soil turns back and plays against his brethren, his own land.Oh almighty, I swear by Tutul’s nightie, this is blasphemous!”

As we prepare ourselves to choose a side, the game continues to enthral. Waiting for the return of
the prodigal son, let’s just hope God’s fielding on the on side.