Lalit Modi reveals that Shah Rukh Khan wanted another IPL franchise as his team

Lalit Modi revealed that Kolkata Knight Riders wasn’t Shah Rukh Khan’s first choice as his IPL team.

Lalit Modi, recently made an appearance for an interview with podcaster Raj Shamani on his show. The founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) revisited the inception of the cast-rich league and how Kolkata Knight Riders wasn’t Shah Rukh Khan’s first choice as his IPL team. It is said that before than IPL began in 2008, Shah Rukh Khan along with his close friend Juhi Chawla bought KKR reportedly for INR 570 crore.

Lalit Modi speaks about IPL and Shah Rukh Khan on Raj Shamani’s podcast.

During the podcast, Lalit Modi termed Shah Rukh Khan as the “pillar” of IPL and credited him for making cricket accessible to women and children, across the world. He said, “Bollywood and cricket sell in this country. I have always been a part of the glamor. Shah Rukh Khan went to school with me; we are school friends. When I approached him for cricket, I didn’t know much about it myself, but I told him, ‘I just want you to be a part of it.’ He was the number one pillar for the IPL. Shah Rukh Khan bid for a team, even though he didn’t know anything about cricket.”

Shah Rukh Khan’s first choice was Mumbai Indians.

During the interview, Lalit Modi revealed that Shah Rukh Khan really wanted to buy Mumbai Indians, but with Mukesh Ambani doing the honors, he went with Kolkata Knight Riders. He said, “His first choice was Mumbai, but Mukesh Ambani took that. Kolkata was his eventual pick. But Shah Rukh’s real contribution was in making cricket entertaining. He brought women and children into the stadiums, which was critical for IPL’s success. That’s why we had music, cheerleaders, and a festival-like atmosphere—he turned it into an event for everyone.”

Lalit Modi added, “In year one, we had to beg or pay celebrities to come. By year two, they came on their own. After seeing Shah Rukh, everyone wanted in – Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, you name it. Shah Rukh’s presence turned the IPL into more than just cricket; it became a cultural movement.”