Live cricket screenings at pubs and cinema halls, candid pictures of celebs partying — these were the things that had fans hooked till a few days ago.
Days after the Indian Premiere League (IPL) wrapped up, Delhiites are bored. “The love, the passion, the addiction — my life won’t be the same without IPL,” writes Shubh on Facebook. “We used to put up a big screen in our colony, it was like a festival. Suddenly there is a lull,” says Tanya Sharma, a student.
Actress Sameera Reddy, who was spotted at matches, has taken off for a vacation to Thailand. “IPL got me back to the TV set. It became an addiction. It’s become boring since it ended,” she says.
Pubs in the city testify that IPL meant business. “IPL matches pulled lot of business for us. People would call saying they would only come if we were screening the matches,” says Saurabh Khanijo of Ivy and Kylin. “There was an increase in business and the atmosphere was lively during IPL,” says Deepali Narula of F Bar. For singer Shibani Kashyap, though, end of IPL season means “people will finally turn up for concerts.”
Further, following the IPL administrators decision that they may scrap the cheerleaders, and do away with the parties from the next season, fans are wondering if it’ll take away the fun from the game. “The parties are a great place for cricketers, celebs and fans to come together and let their hair down. They should happen,” says DJ Hussain, who played at the parties. “If cricketers don’t perform, they are to blame. Why blame partying?” asks VJ Siddharth, a party regular.