Jaspal Bhatti joins IPL bandwagon - with satire

CHANDIGARH - His black shirt and trousers for a public event were symbolic of what he was highlighting - black money. And when comedian-actor Jaspal Bhatti Saturday got down to doing what he knows best - conducting a satire on current controversies - the Indian Premier League (IPL) was not spared.

Armed with placards which gave new murky names to IPL teams and a gang of fully-clothed cheerleaders in tow, Bhatti and his band of ‘Nonsense Club’ members gave a public call for everyone to join in the IPL loot with money - black or white.

“Investigate thoroughly and give the IPL trophy to the team whose franchise has transacted the maximum black money to buy their team and has committed the maximum financial irregularities,” demanded Bhatti.

With his latest satire on IPL controversies, which he renamed as ‘Indian Paisa Laundering’, Bhatti took a dig at virtually everyone - from IPL boss Lalit Modi to teams and their owners. The comedian enacted a satirical skit at the Sector 17 Plaza, the commercial hub of Chandigarh, with scores of people watching.

So, liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s team (Royal Challengers) became ‘Royal Money-Changers’, Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders was re-christened as ‘Kolkata Night Bribers’, Delhi Daredevils became ‘Delhi Fair Dealers’ and Chennia Super Kings became ‘Chennai Super-Links’.

“We have given the names based on how well the teams can do in areas other than cricket. Royal Money-Changers can change money at any time - whether black or white. The Delhi team assures of fair deals in everything. Chennai Super-Links have deep links in all things while Kolkata Night Bribers can bribe their way even at night,” Bhatti told IANS.

Bhatti and his ‘Nonsense Club’ also sang a parody, sparing no one, based on the “Lift kara de” lyrics of singer Adnan Sami.

“Teri unchi shaan thi (Lalit) Modi, panga leke yun hi khodi; tu tha sab kuchh jaan ne wala, black white ko maanne wala, tune kaisi game ghuma di, kayiyon ki wicket gira di …… Black money ko white kara de, Meri bhi ik team banade, IPL mein chance dila de.” (You were a big man Lalit Modi which you have lost after getting into the IPL controversy, you knew about everything and knew everything about the black money, but you turned the game and let many people down; Get my black money converted to white, get me a team too, get me a chance in IPL.)

To add glamour to the whole satire, Bhatti got in three girls as cheerleaders to give the event a full IPL feel - known for its celebrity owners and cheerleaders from other countries.

“We did everything today to highlight how cricket lovers in this country had been taken for a ride by the murky dealings in the IPL,” Bhatti said.

“Every team should have at least a big politician, underworld don, and a film star to run the affairs of the team smoothly.”