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Juhi Chawla once blamed Kolkata Knight Riders’ black jersey for the team’s poor performance, believing it brought bad luck.
Juhi Chawla believed KKR’s black jersey was unlucky, prompting a change to purple after early IPL losses. Shah Rukh Khan reacted, calling it “nonsense.”
Back in 2008, Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh Khan ventured into the world of cricket with the launch of their Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, the early years of KKR were anything but smooth, as the team struggled to find its footing, facing repeated losses. During these tough initial seasons, Juhi developed a belief that the team’s black jerseys were contributing to their misfortunes.
In the documentary Living with KKR, Juhi’s husband and fellow co-owner Jay Mehta shared how the superstition took hold. After a particularly rough season in South Africa marked by a string of defeats, Juhi approached Jay, convinced that the color black was to blame. “After we came back from South Africa with our famous losing streak, Juhi suddenly tells me, ‘I am superstitious about black as a colour and I think black is unlucky for KKR.’” Jay admitted that both he and Shah Rukh Khan initially dismissed her concerns, reacting with, “What nonsense!”
Juhi herself appears in the documentary, recalling her discomfort with the black jerseys. “I had something about that black. I was like, ‘This colour is not contributing to the energy of the team.’ When things were really bad, I came down hard on this. I said, ‘No, we have to change the colour, not black.’” Following her insistence, KKR switched from black to purple jerseys, which coincided with a gradual shift in their fortunes.
Interestingly, Juhi has previously revealed that she was never fond of the black and gold combination from the outset. Speaking at a Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry event, she reflected, “We didn’t know anything about running a cricket franchise, and I remember going to Shah Rukh’s home for meetings. Literally, everything was done in-house—from the jingle to the uniform. Shah Rukh made it black and gold, and I was not happy with it. I thought, ‘What is this black and gold?’ Because black is considered inauspicious, isn’t it?”
Fast forward to the 18th season of IPL, KKR has revived the black and gold look. As a nod to their early years, they launched a special ‘retro kit’ featuring the vintage jersey design. The move sparked nostalgia among fans, and the retro jerseys sold out within minutes of release on their official store.
IPL 2025 officially commenced on March 22, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match at Eden Gardens. The tournament features 74 matches across 13 venues, with 12 double-headers. Ten teams—Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Sunrisers Hyderabad—are divided into two groups.
The grand finale is slated for May 25 at Eden Gardens, while Qualifier 2 will also be held at the same venue on May 23, ensuring Kolkata remains at the heart of the cricketing action.
