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A turning track!

Before this show, my only experience with dance was watching my wife practising for her classical dance performances,” says a rather shy Sourav Ganguly, who is judging “Knights and Angels”, a talent hunt for cheerleaders where the w inners will get to cheer for Kolkata Knight Riders.

“It was Shah Rukh’s idea to promote the brand. I am not looking at the technique.” So how does he judge it? “I judge on the basis of whatever I see. If it looks entertaining, I give my positive vote. I am also looking into the fitness of the participants because it takes a lot of effort to keep the energy going for 40 overs.”

Does Donna give some tips on judging? “Not at all,” he sounds surprised. “She is in Kolkata and the show is being shot in Mumbai.” But do cheerleaders really make a difference to the performance of the players? “Naah! Don’t take it too seriously. They are just to raise the entertainment value of the format.” Isn’t the game getting too commercial? “It is, but I feel that is the way the world is moving.”

He says in any sport that has a mass following, such things come along naturally over a period of time. “It is good for the game. Who wants to play in front of empty stadiums?”

But will the second season of IPL really take off? “It is for the Government to decide.”

Meanwhile, in their own bid to raise the entertainment quotient, the producers have made him sing a Bangla song on the show.

He agreed but said that if he failed on the pitch and the crowds reacted angrily he would get back to them!

ANUJ KUMAR

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