Sauntering into an afternoon press conference, Salman Khan looked relaxed and jovial ahead of last night’s India versus Pakistan celebrity cricket match.
The cricket match was held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with more than More than 40 celebrities, including actors, singers, TV hosts and models, are coming together in the UAE to raise awareness about the Bollywood actor’s charity Being Human, which helps numerous causes around the world.
Salman Khan (left) meets Alia Shah, 7, and Sonia Shah, 10, at a press conference in Dubai yesterday.
The Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan with Sophie Choudry before the celebrity cricket match betweeIndia and Pakistan.
Salman urged India and Pakistan to unite, casting aside political and historical differences, and discussed the work of Being Human. “For us, this is about getting India and Pakistan not fighting or playing against each other, but playing and walking with each other,” he said. “We might get hammered by people back in Mumbai, but that’s a chance we’ve taken. We just want to show that we are together.”
The 44-year-old Wanted star also teased teammate Chunky Pandey for being frugal and refusing to lend him his sunglasses – although the Housefull actor took it in good spirits while cosying up with screen siren Ria Sen throughout the 20-minute conference in Media City.
Khan also bantered with Pakistani captain Shoaib Akhtar, claiming the fast bowler would be out to decimate India’s batsmen on the pitch. The fast bowler jokingly responded that he would be restarting a career spent tormenting his opponents, diplomatically adding a minute later that, “I love playing against India...they give us a very hard time”.
Although flanked by brother Sohail and Heyy Babyy star Ritesh Deshmukh, all eyes remained trained on Khan, with the A-lister shielding himself behind sunglasses from the familiar flash of a hundred cameras.
“Not everyone can be a leader, but a lot of people like me can be good followers,” said Deshmukh while thanking Khan for including him in his humanitarian efforts. And Khan, who has been known to fall out with fellow Bollywood stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, pre-empted suggestions that his calls for unity may appear hypocritical.
“To anyone saying, ‘How strange is this – you talking about India and Pakistan being together, but you have a problem with some actors’... Some people don’t see eye to eye,” he said. “It happens everywhere. It could be within families or between neighbours. We’re just trying to make things easy and more comfortable for both sides.”
Thousands of fans, mostly Indian and Pakistani, from several emirates attended to cheer on their individual country’s most famous celebrities in a light-hearted 15-overs-a-side match, between the rivals which, said the organisers, took more than two years to arrange.
Salman said India and Pakistan have to show that they are together. To us, it’s not an eye for an eye. We are trying to make things more easy and more comfortable for both sides.”
Tickets for the game cost from Dh35 to Dh175 and the match was aimed at raising awareness for Salman Khan’s charity, Being Human, though none of the proceeds will reach the new organisation. Indian law states a charity must be running for more than three years before it can accept donations. The foundation is also not registered in Dubai, making it illegal to raise funds here.
However, Haider Ali Mirza, the managing director of the organisers, Cynosure, said some money would go to the Dubai Autism Centre, a charity partner, but would not say how much.
In addition to the hundreds of thousands of dirhams the company made from ticket sales, it also made close to Dh300,000 from a Gala dinner tonight, where some of the players will take part in a fashion and music show. Tickets were priced at Dh1,000.
Faiza Khan, the business development manager for Cynosure, said the company had spent at least Dh3million on the event.
Salman Khan was the Indian captain and he faced a tough challenge as the Pakistani captain was one of the world’s best fast bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar.
Salman Khan’s brothers, Bollywood actors Sohail and Arbaas, also played. “Pakistan might be better players, but we can act better,” quipped Sohail Khan.
Shoaib Malik, the Pakistani cricketer who married the Indian tennis star Sania Mirza last month, also put in an appearance – for the Indian team.
Sharman Joshi, who played a poor taxi driver in the recent Emirati movie City of Life, was among the other celebrities who turned out. The fast bowler Shoaib, nicknamed the “Rawalpindi Express”, said: “I am here purely here for the Being Human cause, just for Salman. I will give any day of my life to Salman, my brother, and his family. He is trying to get India and Pakistan closer together. Let’s all go for that.”
Pakistan has not been allowed to play any international cricket on its home soil since the March 2009 Sri Lankan terrorist attack, and the UAE has become its second home, even when it comes to celebrity matches.
“It’s great to bring Pakistan and India together here,” said Saud Qasmi, a Pakistani actor. “Dubai is a very neutral place so this is the best way to forget everything and party. Let’s walk together.”
As the teams entered the stadium the crowd waved flags and screamed for their favourites.
“It’s good to play against India. The patriotism comes into play and the atmosphere is good,” said Hassan Javed, 22, from Lahore who studies in Dubai.
“I’m here for entertainment. It’s exciting for me, especially because Salman Khan is here,” said Pakistani national Sumbal Bilal, who works as a banker in Dubai.
Riya Sen, a 29-year-old actress, said the match may go some way in improving the countries’ troubled relationship.
“Sometimes a small thing can make a huge difference,” she said. “This gets people together, and not only can this bridge a gap but it’s also lots of fun.”
The cricket match was held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with more than More than 40 celebrities, including actors, singers, TV hosts and models, are coming together in the UAE to raise awareness about the Bollywood actor’s charity Being Human, which helps numerous causes around the world.
Salman Khan (left) meets Alia Shah, 7, and Sonia Shah, 10, at a press conference in Dubai yesterday.
The Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan with Sophie Choudry before the celebrity cricket match betweeIndia and Pakistan.Salman urged India and Pakistan to unite, casting aside political and historical differences, and discussed the work of Being Human. “For us, this is about getting India and Pakistan not fighting or playing against each other, but playing and walking with each other,” he said. “We might get hammered by people back in Mumbai, but that’s a chance we’ve taken. We just want to show that we are together.”
The 44-year-old Wanted star also teased teammate Chunky Pandey for being frugal and refusing to lend him his sunglasses – although the Housefull actor took it in good spirits while cosying up with screen siren Ria Sen throughout the 20-minute conference in Media City.
Khan also bantered with Pakistani captain Shoaib Akhtar, claiming the fast bowler would be out to decimate India’s batsmen on the pitch. The fast bowler jokingly responded that he would be restarting a career spent tormenting his opponents, diplomatically adding a minute later that, “I love playing against India...they give us a very hard time”.
Although flanked by brother Sohail and Heyy Babyy star Ritesh Deshmukh, all eyes remained trained on Khan, with the A-lister shielding himself behind sunglasses from the familiar flash of a hundred cameras.
“Not everyone can be a leader, but a lot of people like me can be good followers,” said Deshmukh while thanking Khan for including him in his humanitarian efforts. And Khan, who has been known to fall out with fellow Bollywood stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, pre-empted suggestions that his calls for unity may appear hypocritical.
“To anyone saying, ‘How strange is this – you talking about India and Pakistan being together, but you have a problem with some actors’... Some people don’t see eye to eye,” he said. “It happens everywhere. It could be within families or between neighbours. We’re just trying to make things easy and more comfortable for both sides.”
Thousands of fans, mostly Indian and Pakistani, from several emirates attended to cheer on their individual country’s most famous celebrities in a light-hearted 15-overs-a-side match, between the rivals which, said the organisers, took more than two years to arrange.
Salman said India and Pakistan have to show that they are together. To us, it’s not an eye for an eye. We are trying to make things more easy and more comfortable for both sides.”
Tickets for the game cost from Dh35 to Dh175 and the match was aimed at raising awareness for Salman Khan’s charity, Being Human, though none of the proceeds will reach the new organisation. Indian law states a charity must be running for more than three years before it can accept donations. The foundation is also not registered in Dubai, making it illegal to raise funds here.
However, Haider Ali Mirza, the managing director of the organisers, Cynosure, said some money would go to the Dubai Autism Centre, a charity partner, but would not say how much.
In addition to the hundreds of thousands of dirhams the company made from ticket sales, it also made close to Dh300,000 from a Gala dinner tonight, where some of the players will take part in a fashion and music show. Tickets were priced at Dh1,000.
Faiza Khan, the business development manager for Cynosure, said the company had spent at least Dh3million on the event.
Salman Khan was the Indian captain and he faced a tough challenge as the Pakistani captain was one of the world’s best fast bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar.
Salman Khan’s brothers, Bollywood actors Sohail and Arbaas, also played. “Pakistan might be better players, but we can act better,” quipped Sohail Khan.
Shoaib Malik, the Pakistani cricketer who married the Indian tennis star Sania Mirza last month, also put in an appearance – for the Indian team.
Sharman Joshi, who played a poor taxi driver in the recent Emirati movie City of Life, was among the other celebrities who turned out. The fast bowler Shoaib, nicknamed the “Rawalpindi Express”, said: “I am here purely here for the Being Human cause, just for Salman. I will give any day of my life to Salman, my brother, and his family. He is trying to get India and Pakistan closer together. Let’s all go for that.”
Pakistan has not been allowed to play any international cricket on its home soil since the March 2009 Sri Lankan terrorist attack, and the UAE has become its second home, even when it comes to celebrity matches.
“It’s great to bring Pakistan and India together here,” said Saud Qasmi, a Pakistani actor. “Dubai is a very neutral place so this is the best way to forget everything and party. Let’s walk together.”
As the teams entered the stadium the crowd waved flags and screamed for their favourites.
“It’s good to play against India. The patriotism comes into play and the atmosphere is good,” said Hassan Javed, 22, from Lahore who studies in Dubai.
“I’m here for entertainment. It’s exciting for me, especially because Salman Khan is here,” said Pakistani national Sumbal Bilal, who works as a banker in Dubai.
Riya Sen, a 29-year-old actress, said the match may go some way in improving the countries’ troubled relationship.
“Sometimes a small thing can make a huge difference,” she said. “This gets people together, and not only can this bridge a gap but it’s also lots of fun.”
No comments:
Post a Comment