The third edition of CCL is not only richer than the earlier editions, crores were also spent to infuse a lot of glamour in the league. This year, the organisers reportedly pumped in around `8 crore to rope in top actresses from different industries and also for the live performances during the league’s curtain raiser in Mumbai.
Sources tell us that apart from doling out Rs 1 crore for Katrina’s performance and the equally expensive Prabhu Deva show, CCL brand ambassadors Bipasha Basu, Kajal and Priyamani were paid between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 50 lakh.
“We earmarked a few crores for the promotional events and the launch. But we are not paying hefty sums for brand ambassadors; we are actually thankful to them for sparing some time for us,” says Vishnu Induri, founder and MD of CCL. The 2013 season has seen a turnaround of sorts. Sponsors, telecast rights and gate collections ensured that the organisers have enough money to spend more on the glam quotient. “We roped in more than 20 actresses as a value addition for viewers who watch the matches live as well as on TV. Most of the actresses turn up as a goodwill gesture,” he adds. Sources, however, say that actresses are paid from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh to be cheerleaders.
“I am there because I love cricket; and my colleagues are playing so I don’t mind spending a few hours in the stadium,” says Charmi of Telugu Warriors.
Priyamani says it’s an opportunity to meet actors from different regions. “It’s not possible to get familiar with other languages and it’s an interesting platform to make new friends,” she adds.
With actresses entertaining the audience, will the charm of serious cricket be lost? “There’s no such possibility, because the players are determined to showcases their cricketing skill,” says Vishnu, adding, “We will not have performances for the semis and finals since cricket is paramount for our league.”
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