South Indian film Artist’s Association : #Suriya, #Sudeep #Balakrishna & others play cricket for a cause   

#Chennai : A host of actors from South on Sunday came together to take part in a one-day Lebara Natchathira (stars) Cricket League organised in Chennai by the South Indian Artist’s Association (SIAA) to raise funds for the construction of a building for it. It has been a long-standing dream of the association.

Conceptualised by recently elected SIAA office-bearers, including its president Nasser and general secretary Vishal Reddy, the day-long cricket event was formally inaugurated by superstar Rajinikanth and film icon Kamal Haasan.

Various film personalities from Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam tinsel world attended the gala event at the MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk, Chennai.

Telugu superstars including Balakrishna, Venkatesh, Kannada actors Sudeep, Ambareesh, Malayalam Super star Mammootty, actor Nivin Pauly and a host of actors attended the event in large numbers.

Braving scorching sun, the actors who were divided into eight teams, battled it out in the five-overs-a-side matches.

After the league matches, actor Suriya-led Chennai Singhams and Jeeva’s Tanjore Rhinos contested for the title with the former emerging the winners.

The cricket event was held to generate funds for construction of its own building for the SIAA in busy commercial district of T Nagar in Chennai.

The building project, for which efforts had been made for a long time, ran into a controversy when the former SIAA office bearers signing an agreement with city-based realty developer for construction of a complex.

After the new office-bearers were appointed, the agreement was cancelled and it was decided to conduct a cricket match in which the proceeds would go for the construction of the building for the association.