Bobby Deol in town for Celebrity Cricket League

IN CASE THERE isn’t enough Bollywood or cricket on TV, you’re in luck. The Celebrity Cricket League is once again returning to the city, combining the best of both worlds for spectators. The crème de la crème of the acting fraternity will be donning their whites (or rather multi coloured uniforms) to take part in a day of fours, sixes and outs at the International Cricket Stadium in Sports City, Dubai.

Now in its fourth year, the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) is a sports entertainment concept involving movie stars from the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Kerala, Bangla and Hindi film industries.

The celebrities represent their region’s respective teams and meet for an annual Twenty20 tournament around India and abroad.

Traditionally involving a date in the UAE, the league was formed in October 2010 and brings over 60 major name actors together to play out, as Bobby Deol puts it, “every young boy’s dream”.

Taking his place in the Mumbai Heroes XI – ambassadors for the Hindi movie fraternity - as a batsman and bowler, Bobby stressed that the tourney was more about fun than intense competition.

“We don’t get any time to practice,” the Yamla Pagla Deewana star said when he spoke to City Times on Sunday. “When we get together, we try and hit a few balls around, but it is so difficult to get everyone in the same place.”

Given that the Heroes’ team alone comprises actors including Suneil Shetty, Sonu Sood and Aftab Shivdasani, it is easy to see why fitting sports sessions around crowded schedules may prove challenging.

“You want to win, but you’ve got to put in the effort all year. On the day, who knows? But, I think it’ll just be about having a laugh and hopefully the crowd will appreciate that.”

Normally attracting visitors numbering in their thousands, the contest often sees Indian regional loyalties tested as favourite performers turn out for their industry rather than place of birth. “People simply love watching the actors”, said Bobby. “It’s just about seeing your stars, not seeing what they will do, or who they try and win for. It’s every young boy’s dream to play and we are lucky to be living it out.”

Bobby went on to explain that the popularity of cricket in India dictates it’s not merely a movie star’s folly to pretend to be a big league player for the day.

“You see it all across our country,” stated the 46-year old. “You can be a business man in your 50s and you’ll still want the rush of playing. They [business people] have their own leagues too. They end up playing in some big stadiums.”

So who, therefore, does Bobby believe are the bigger superstars – actors or cricketers?

“You can’t compare the two,” he replied. “In their areas both are bigger.

“If you go to a film festival, actors will get more credit, but on the sports field sportsmen will get bigger cheers. The CCL brings the two together. Maybe we should make a film full of cricketers to even the balance?”

Currently looking over a variety of scripts before settling on his next picture, on whether Bobby thought he had the makings of a professional, he revealed that the dream fizzled early in life.

“When I was in school I wanted to play, but I was a day late for selection I went along and was told to go away. That put an end to my cricket dream in 5^th standard.

“If I had more time to hone my skills, I think I would be better. I’m lucky I get to be in the CCL. When I’m there I just want to bowl. I love it.”