MUMBAI, Aug 8: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) cricket team, feels match fixing takes place out of greed and is prevalent all over the world.
The Indian Premier League, in which Shah Rukh’s team KKR is a participant, was recently embroiled in allegations of betting and spot-fixing by some players.
“Fixing has been there all over the world. Wherever there will be people betting, there will be fixing. It is not specifically in cricket, fixed matches are there in EPL (English Premier League)…And in some other sports,” SRK told reporters here last evening at an event while replying to a media query.
“It is an international phenomena. When people are going to bet and where betting is legal, even there it happens. So there will always be elements who are greedy, who succumb to stuff like this. This is in every profession including films, journalism and sports,” the superstar said.
Shah Rukh, 47, feels as long as there is greed, betting will happen.
“It (IPL) is a good thing for India and youngsters. One does not like the idea of match fixing, it is the worst possible thing to accept. One would like to eradicate, clean it. But as long as there will be greed it will be there, we need to deal with it,” he said.
On the occasion, the actor also expressed sorrow over the recent killing of five soldiers on the Line of Control in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
“I heard about it… It is sad. We respect and honour them (jawans) as the fact is that they lay down their lives for our safety. It is a personal loss, it is mourning time. I pray for the families. We should bow our head down and salute them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh’s ‘lungi’ dance from “Chennai Express” has legendary actor Rajinikanth’s cut outs in the background.
The song, by rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh, pays a tribute to Rajinikanth, who is given the title ‘Thalaivar’ (supreme leader).
“Honey Singh came to me for a video where he wanted to have a superstar, I thought it was for me. He wanted to do the song for real and big superstar of the country – Rajnikanth. We feel if we were talking about Chennai, it was not right to not mention Rajnikanth,” he said.
Shah Rukh told Rajnikanth and his daughter Soundarya about the concept of the song and they agreed for it. Now that the song is out, it seems the southern superstar has liked it.
In the film, there is a line that says do not under estimate the power of common man and SRK also feels the real power resides with the common man.
“Most of us have had humble beginnings, nobody is born with the silver spoon. Majority of the people around the world struggle to live a normal, regular and happy life and I am one of the chosen ones. I got lucky that things went right for me,” he said.
“My biggest belief in life is it’s not special to be special because an ordinary life is a difficult life. I work for fulfilling the happiness of ordinary people, my work is dedicated to share love and entertainment with people.” (PTI)