‘Those are not just reactions, they’re my raw emotions’: Kaviya Kalanithi Maran opens up about SRH, franchise cricket, memes, and more

Sunrisers Hyderabad, the franchise owned by Kalanithi Maran-led Sun Group in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has a massive Orange Army that backs the team. But Kaviya Kalanithi Maran, the Sunrisers' head, commands a fan base of her own. The daughter of Kalanithi and Kavery, who oversees the strategy and content at Sun TV Network, Kaviya heads the sports division at the Sun Group. The face of the Sunrisers franchise, she is now involved in two more professional cricket leagues globally—The Hundred, a professional franchise 100-ball cricket tournament in the U.K., via the Yorkshire-based Northern Superchargers franchise; and the SA20 League through her team Sunrisers Eastern Cape. In a rare and candid chat with Fortune India, the media-shy Kaviya speaks on cricket, her viral memes, and more. Edited excerpts:

On how her interest in cricket began

Kaviya credits her “cricket-obsessed family” without a second thought. She started watching IPL right from the first season in 2008. “My mother, my grandfather [were into cricket]… so cricket just playing on television 24/7 was a part and parcel of life [while] growing up,” she says.

On how she got involved with IPL and Sunrisers Hyderabad

Contrary to popular belief, Kaviya was involved with the franchise from the time Sunrisers Hyderabad came into being in 2013. She was only 21 years old and fresh out of college when her father, Kalanithi Maran, bought the franchise. “He came to me and said, ‘You understand this audience better, you love cricket’,” she says.

Kaviya says the IPL format is tailored for the younger audience. “So, my involvement started quite organically.” Soon, she got involved with the launch of the logo, the jersey, and the marketing strategy.

But she got so deeply involved that it became more than a business for her. “When it comes to Sunrisers, I genuinely wear my heart on my sleeve. I think when you put your heart and soul into something, you naturally tend to get very personally attached to its successes and failures,” she says.

On how much time she spends on cricket every year

For most people, IPL is a two-and-a-half-month affair. But not for the franchises and players. “Those two months a year, it's only the cricket stress, but most of the work is leading up to that. The work that we do starts much before that. It's chaotic,” she says.

And with three teams in the kitty—the Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL), the Northern Superchargers (The Hundred, a professional franchise 100-ball cricket tournament in the U.K.), and the Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20 League)— cricket is 12 months a year for her now.

Global cricket franchise business and its future

It's different not only in terms of the attitude but also the approach and the audience they cater to, she says. “For instance, The Hundred is a very short format. In SA20, their cultural upbringing is very different.”

Hence, the marketing strategies are different from those for the Hyderabad audience.

But Kaviya would not see it as challenging. “It's good for us because we have a lot of operational synergies. It helps us make Sunrisers an international name in cricket and sports.”

For instance, she says, a lot of uncapped players from South Africa get called into the IPL. “That’s because we've seen that talent in SA20. It helps with scouting and gives these young cricketers access to world-class coaching facilities as we bring in those big brands and names that develop their talent. So, they get that exposure.”

More than anything, these players get a chance to play across the globe. “So now, if I have found a talent when I go to the U.K., I'll bring him to the IPL or I'll take him to SA20. Overall, it benefits international cricket,” she says.

Many players made their national debut for South Africa after they were picked up by Sunrises Eastern Cape, she cites. “So, I think what is happening is amazing, and the future of cricket is only booming. Franchise cricket is playing a big role in it,” Kaviya says.

On meme fest and her viral expressions

For everyone else, her expressions are mere reactions. But for the SRH head, these are raw emotions. “Those are my raw emotions that you're seeing because my job has brought me to the point that I have to put myself out there. In Hyderabad, I can't do anything, I have to sit [there]. That's the only place I can sit. But even when I go to Ahmedabad or Chennai, and I'm sitting many feet away, somewhere in the box, the cameraman manages to find me,” Kaviya laughs as she says.

For people, the IPL is a form of entertainment. “So, I understand how it (the reactions) becomes memes.”

But for Kaviya, it is business. “If you're going to work from 10 am to 6 pm, my work starts at 7:30 pm. So, I'm sure if you had a camera on everybody sitting in the office, dealing with their projects, and stocks going up and down, you'd get the same emotions. You'd get similar emotions from the fans in the stadium,” she adds.