Juhi Chawla at Fame (South City). Picture by Pabitra Das

How has life changed in the last month?

Oh (laughs)! Life has completely changed in this last one month. I have been running around, coming here to Calcutta every two days. There’s my family, my films and, of course, IPL and our Kolkata Knight Riders.

The IPL thing must have happened out of nowhere…

Yes, it happened so suddenly… Actually my husband (Jay Mehta) got involved at first and then, of course, Shah Rukh got involved. I am a small part of it actually. I have a tiny investment in it. That’s why I am there.

Were you a cricket fan before you bought the Kolkata Knight Riders?

Before this? Before this I hardly watched cricket at all (laughs). Between family, kids and films I have not had the time to follow cricket. Also, I am not one of those gung-ho cricket people. I just know in passing who’s playing and what’s going on. That’s it.

That must have all changed…

Now, yes (laughs)! Now I know exactly what is happening…

What has been your experience of owning an IPL team?

Very different from what I had expected. I thought I would just go and watch the matches of our team. But you get so involved…. Every time a wicket falls and your heart just stops…. (laughs) The stress and anxiety.… The excitement and happiness when the team does well.... Also, you do feel bad when the going is not so good…. But at the end of the day you think, why am I getting so worked up about this? Two months ago I was not even in this world. And suddenly I am so involved…

Did Shah Rukh, Jay and you divide responsibilities and roles?

Shah Rukh does almost everything (laughs). He does everything. And then there’s a section which Jay handles. Between the two of them they put it together, in their own way. Shah Rukh handles the marketing, the brand associations, the designing of clothes. Jay does all the liaisons over here, seeing to it that everything in Calcutta happens smoothly. So the two of them are doing all the work. I am just involved there somewhere.

But you have been such a gracious host on the match days welcoming all the city celebrities…

Initially, I just thought that we are from the industry and we should make ourselves one with the industry here. Why not? They should feel a part of Kolkata Knight Riders. That’s where it started from and then I started getting in touch with everyone enthusiastically. When the going was not so good I lost heart, I didn’t know whether to invite them, whether they would still be eager to come to the ground. I must say they have been so lovely. Rituparna, Indrani, Jeet, Jisshu… they have been there practically every match. And they are like: “Don’t worry, it’s our team!” It’s been so lovely to have them. Usha ji (Uthup) also was so sweet, she was there for the first two matches…. It is good to see everyone there supporting our team. Once we are all there, it’s all about the match. Then it doesn’t matter who is from here and who’s from Mumbai. Everyone becomes one.

How does it feel cheering the team with one lakh people at Eden Gardens?

Amazing! Looking at all those people, I think if all of them would come to our movies, our films would be such big hits (laughs)! Now I really believe cricket is equal to, if not bigger than, the movies.

In the middle of all this, your film Bhoothnath released. Would you have been happier had it not clashed with IPL?

I don’t think the IPL has really affected the prospects of Bhoothnath. I hear it’s doing very well everywhere, especially in places like Guwahati. Even in Calcutta, it’s doing well.

How was it shooting for the film?

Oh, wonderful! All the arrangements were so well organised.... The huge sets and all. That’s one thing I kept telling Vivek (Sharma, director) that you are very lucky that in your first film you are getting such a great set-up. BR Films gives you all the freedom you want, whether it’s production or creativity. Vivek himself had all his script worked out. I have known him for a long time. I have seen him as an assistant with Mahesh Bhatt and Aziz Mirza. And he was the one they depended on. Whenever they weren’t around, he was the one who carried out everything.

And what was Banku Bhaiyya, little Aman Siddiqui, like?

Luckily, he is not at that age when you have to bribe the kid: take the lollipop and give the shot! He is a smart kid and he’s done ads before, that too with Amit ji . He is a professional little boy who knows what he has to do. He is also academically very bright…. He was very good.

We never knew you could sing so well. Where did that come from?

(Laughs) You have to thank Ravi ji (Chopra, producer) for that! It was he who gave me the break. I have been learning to sing.… I have been learning for around five years now. It’s something I have got so involved in that now I can’t get out of it. And it’s something I do enjoy. But whenever somebody has asked me when the album is out, I am like ‘I have no clue’. I don’t know what to do about this.… Vivek told me he would make me sing. I thought he would forget about it. But two-three months down the line he did have the recording. And while I was excited, I was also very nervous! Of course, technology also helps.

Have you had the time to sign any new film?

I have been travelling so much, Calcutta-Mumbai to and fro, I have not been able to hear any scripts. I have been just running, running and running. My next release will be Aziz Mirza’s Kismat Konnection where I have a brief but exciting role.

Finally, there is so much talk about KKR’s ownership and that the team may change hands…

We will be back next year. We are not going anywhere.

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