‘Akshay Kumar said let’s end this’: Ex-BCCI GM reveals how Bollywood star’s multi-crore sacrifice saved Delhi Daredevils (Now Capitals)
According to a new book, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar canceled his lucrative deal with Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in 2009 after the IPL club sought to reduce losses. He could have easily played hardball with all of his cards in hand. In the memoirs ‘Pitchside: My Life in Indian Cricket’ by seasoned cricket administrator Amrit Mathur, which was released by Westland Sport, the incident is described in detail.
“Akshay signed a three-year deal with Delhi Daredevils to shoot promotional films, attend meet and greet events and make appearances at corporate events…” Mathur wrote in his book.
“Apart from Kotla act (he performed daring stunts), nothing much happened because DD didn’t know how to leverage him. At the end of the season, during elaborate post-mortem held against backdrop of serious financial losses, DD decided to cancel or renegotiate the contract.” Mathur went on to write how it became an arduous job.
“Akshay’s contract provided no exit; on the contrary, it gave him solid guarantees for a period of three years. DD’s lawyers approached Akshay’s staff, wanting to revisit the contract, but they made no headway.”
“The (legally correct) response from his side was that contract didn’t factor in early termination and it has run its course with full monetary compensation.”
Mathur recalled in his book.
How Akshay Kumar reacted to Delhi Daredevils being in BIG trouble?
The superstar’s kindness and king-sized heart were what really shone through. After learning about DD’s appeal and the difficult financial situation the franchise was in, Akshay showed incredible flexibility.
The team’s notable accomplishments, including reaching the semifinals of the first IPL season and rising to the top of the table at the end of the league stage the following season, highlighted their potential. Mathur then decided to contact Akshay on his own, and the result of their conversation surprised him in a positive way.
“Seen from perspective of DD, Akshay’s multi-crore contract could be equated to a self-goal or hit-wicket dismissal. Considering the disastrous financial results and need for austerity, the star had become an avoidable expense. Knowing there was no legal lifeline available, DD appealed to Akshay for mercy.” Mathur claimed in his book that he was the designated trouble-shooter for DD and met the star in his vanity van during the shooting of Chandni Chowk to China.
After the shot, we returned to his vanity van and I, very hesitantly, explained the reason for my visit and outlined DD’s financial troubles.
No problem ji, he said in a sympathetic manner. If it’s not working, let’s close it. I thought I hadn’t heard him right.
“Seeing my confused look, he clarified slowly, ‘Isko khatam kar dete hain (let us end this)’. When I mumbled about the stringent contract clauses, he reassured me, ‘Koi baat nahin, main lawyer ko bol dunga (No problem, I will tell the lawyer)’.” The actor’s magnanimity left him pleasantly surprised.
Mathur goes on to write, “Even after so many years I am surprised that Akshay waived off such a large amount of money. Just like that — snap decision when he could have easily thrown the contract at us.” The book takes a sneak peek into Indian cricket and Mathur’s association with the establishment for three and half decades helped the readers get a lot of first-hand anecdotes.
Thank you for reading.
