That time of the year has come when football fuses with everything Bollywood to produce a gala celebration known as the Indian Super League. The ISL 2017 kicks off on November 17 at the JLN Stadium in Kochi.

The opening ceremony of the tournament will host Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for the first time ever. Partnering him will be Katrina Kaif, his rumoured ex and one of B Town's hottest starlets.

salman khan, katrina kaif
Salman Khan [L] and Katrina Kaif during an eventPUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty

Both stars will feature in the upcoming movie Tiger Zinda Hai, scheduled for a December 22 release. The movie is a sequel of the 2012 blockbuster Ek Tha Tiger.

"Hero-heroine ki entry aapne aap mein ek blockbuster hoti hai. Aur iss baar, Hero Indian Super League ki entry hogi Box Office hit!" mentions Salman in the promo video.

Translation: "The entry of a hero and a heroine in a movie always turns out to be a blockbuster, and this time, the Indian Super League will be a box office hit."

The ISL opening ceremony has always been a party affair with the likes of Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez taking to the centre-stage in previous occasions. Also, Nita Ambani is poised to make an appearance like always!

"Future hai football" [The future is football] is her catchphrase for this season's Indian Super League.

While the glamour and glitterati no doubt remains a noteworthy way to grab more eyeballs, let's hope and pray that football doesn't get overshadowed at the end of the day. Kerala Blasters take on ATK in a repeat of last year's final.

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