Kolkata, May 29 (IANS): Some cursed him, others called him "cruel". Even the presence of IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players could not take away the disappointment of thousands who braved the scorching sun for hours only to find Bollywood star and team co-owner Shah Rukh missing from the KKR victory parade.

"He is so cruel to be not present. We bunked our classes and have been standing in the sun for over two hours to see him. We are disappointed to say the least," a college student said, speaking for his group.

Khan surfaced outside the state secretariat where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came to felicitate the team. He hugged the chief minister, and held aloft the Indin Premier League champions trophy.

Earlier, thousands thronged the Ashutosh Mukherjee Road to witness the victory parade of KKR though most of them had come to see the Badshah of Bollywood.

Local councilors had put up a stage at the Jadubabu Bazar, south of the city, to felicitate the KKR players and Khan but his absence of took away all their enthusiasm.

To add up their woe a part of the stage collapsed causing minor injuries
to a few.

As the police did not allow the convoy to stop, the councilors threw the flower bouquets towards the players.

The Knights led by skipper Gautam Gambhir waved frantically atop a trailer.

"It is a consolation to see Gambhir and his team. We had come here to see Shah Rukh. We now feel like fools after braving the sun for so long," said a teenager who had been chanting the cinestar's name in anticipation.