Ever since the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) came into existence, it has been blessed with glamour, owing to celebrities being associated with the franchise in some manner, be it as an owner or brand ambassador. Least to say, this has certainly helped the sides, not just to earn a plethora of fan-base, but also lift IPL's stature to a whole new level.
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Among the celebrities, it is the Bollywood stars, whose association with these franchise have helped in raising the glamour quotient of the tournament, which continues even to date. In the same light, we take a look at some of the top B-town celebrities to be associated with the teams of the tournament.
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Hrithik Roshan (MI): The opening season of the IPL saw the birth of Mumbai Indians (MI), while master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar was their icon player. As if that itself was not enough, the management decided to rope in a brand ambassador, and it was none other than Bollywood's charming dancer Hrithik Roshan, which attracted a swarm of supporters.
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Priyanka Chopra (KKR): Bollywood's 'Mimi', too, was not left behind as the former Miss World continues to be one of the most enchanting Bollywood personalities. It was during the 2012 season when she associated herself with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which is already owned by the so-called 'Bollywood King' Shah Rukh Khan. She proved to be their lucky charm as KKR won their first-ever title the very year.
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Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone (RCB): The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are one of the fan-favourite sides in the tournament, since it is led by Virat Kohli. However, with the team being previously owned by liquor baron Vijay Mallya, he pulled his strings to bring in reinforcements from Bollywood, as Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone graced with their presence. Nonetheless, RCB have never managed to lift the title.
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Sunny Leone (KXIP): Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), too, is owned by B-town celebrity Priety Zinta. While the franchise has had enough celebrity associations, its biggest draw to date was Sunny Leone, who was spotted during the 2015 season. The former pornstar-turned Bollywood actress made the atmosphere electric, but KXIP are still in the hunt for their maiden title.
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Akshay Kumar (DD): The inaugural season saw the capital city form a team, named Delhi Daredevils (DD), led by swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag. Naturally, they needed a daredevil-type brand ambassador, as Bollywood's Akshay Kumar, who was famous for performing daredevil stunts in the movies, was roped in. The side has reached four playoffs since, but have never won the title yet.
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Yami Gautam (SRH): One of the cutest Bollywood actresses, Yami Gautam, too, did not shy away from being associated with the tournament. It was during the 2013 edition, when she graced Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with her presence, as fans did love it. However, she was not associated for too long.
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Vindu Dara Singh (CSK): Although Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have mostly associated themselves with celebrities from the Kollywood, it did have one from the B-town, as Vindoo Dara Singh was associated with the side for a long time. Nonetheless, it was following the 2013 corruption charges against him, he is not to be seen anymore.
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