After injuring his eye years ago, the director attended an IPL match for his Billoo Barber star’s sake

Eye love cricket: Priyadarshan

People who attended the IPL Knight Riders’ first match in Kolkata were surprised to see director Priyadarshan sitting quietly in the audience.

"Even I was surprised to see myself there,” says Priyan. The South director almost lost his eye at a cricket match years ago, and has stayed away since.
Ain’t unlucky
The director speaks from the sets of his Shah Rukh Khan-Irrfan Khan starrer Billo Barber, “I went for Shah Rukh’s sake. Fortunately, the Knight Riders won the match that day when I was in Kolkata. Or people would’ve said I’m unlucky for Shah Rukh. Can’t afford that image while I’ve cast him in the most unusual role of his career, and that too, after four failed attempts to work with him.”
Recalling his passion for cricket, Priyan says, “I was a mad obsessive cricket player as a student. Then during one local match, I nearly lost my eye.” Recalling the harrowing incident Priyan shudders, “I can never forget that day. The ball just slammed against my eye. I had a hairline fracture. And I couldn’t see. I thought I had lost my eye. Fortunately, the eye is intact. But the nerves on the eyelid were enfeebled. So one eye is half closed all the time.”
No time for anything else

Priyan’s passion for the game continues, “I love cricket. Thankfully, I didn’t make a career out of it.

Otherwise today I’d have been working in a bank. The only reason why I don’t play is because I’m making films round the clock. There’s no time for anything else.”