After sustaining a tumultuous period, spanning a few years, that saw him face humiliation and trolling online, actor Shah Rukh Khan’s popularity is on the rise again. If his films — three of them — managed to hit home runs in 2023, the momentum is being carried forward in 2024 by his IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who sit comfortably on the second place of the ongoing 10-team based Indian Premier League (IPL), a domestic T20 cricket competition. Recently, Khan’s own gesture added to the fanfare he’s enjoying currently.
The incident took place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the home ground for the KKR, on Sunday. During the match against Lucknow Super Giants, the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ was seen picking up discarded KKR flags from the VIP box.
Soon, clips of him cleaning up the area went viral on the Internet. It struck a chord with his fans, who hailed the USD 770 million worth actor’s humble gesture.
What did fans say?
“Throughout the match, Shah Rukh Khan was picking up the KKR flags which fell on the ground. @KKRiders is so close to his heart. And such small gestures are the reason why SRK is king of hearts. @iamsrk💜,” one fan wrote on X.
Another penned, “Shah Rukh Khan respects everything related to KKR. Collecting flags after the match all by himself..Unbelievable down to earth guy 🫶 #ShahRukhKhan”
A third fan added, “KKR isn’t just a team—it’s SRK’s beloved 17-year-old baby, nurtured with love, sweat, tears & triumphs!! Witnessed his emotional rollercoaster when KKR felt short on the field!”
A fourth user said, “I think it was more down to earth than his respect for his team. A wise and practical man who saved the clean up staff the task and also saved the flags from the trash bin. A multi millionaire who cares about such things is unheard of. Brilliant.”
KKR has so far won four out of their five games, tying with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on eight points. However, by virtue of a better net run rate, they are placed second, ahead of CSK and SRH, who occupy the third and fourth berth, respectively.