ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEE) has increased its strategic investment in the DP World International League T20 to mark its strong re-entry into the sports industry by releasing a film starring Bollywood superstar and cricket enthusiast Shah Rukh Khan.

The film aims to generate excitement for the nail-biting cricket action that the league promises, leveraging its unique blend of rich cricketing talent with some of the best international cricketers vying for the DP World IL T20 trophy.

The ‘Har Ball Bawaal’ campaign creates an instant adrenaline rush by describing the various emotions that arise when passionate cricket players collide on the field. Given the frenzy that surrounds T20 cricket, this film speaks of how every new performance by a player settles a past score and how it all boils down to being his “izzat ka sawaal”.

The campaign invites viewers to watch the grand spectacle unfold on ZEE’s ten movie channels and its digital entertainment platform, ZEE5, the platform said in a statement.

Games are community gathering places, and the players know that all eyes are on them for every single ball.

The film depicts a batter and a bowler from opposing teams walking up to the pitch in front of adoring fans waiting for their heroes to reclaim their lost glory. After all, in cricket, the next ball must settle the score for every previous ball bowled and maintain the player’s pride.

As both actors prepare for an explosive performance, the film’s narrator, Shah Rukh Khan, sits in the audience and declares, ‘Points prizes ek taraf, yahaan izzat ka sawaal hota hai. ‘Aur har ball bawaal hota hai toh, jab waisa hota hai toh.’ (Aside from points and prizes, when the game is about a player’s pride, every ball will be an explosive contest.)

The campaign film is produced by tiqui-taka and directed by Jigar Fernandes, the company’s founder.

With backing from globally recognized names in entertainment and sports, the league has all the potential to increase audience excitement, viewership, and economic muscle for sports viewing across screens.

The league features 6 franchise teams – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai Capitals, Desert Vipers, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Sharjah Warriors with some of the biggest international T20I heroes including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Jonny Bairstow, Rovman Powell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Trent Boult, Chris Lynn, James Vince, Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan amongst many others, making it an exciting contest.

Cricket fans in India and around the world will have exclusive access to premium cricket content thanks to ZEE’s unparalleled global reach in 190+ countries and the strong connection of ZEE5. The combination of sporting experience, ZEE’s marketing muscle, and the ECB’s long-term commitment all point to IL T20 becoming a distinct and compelling league in the sports domain.