Cricketers To Have Courted Celluloid
Lee - aspiring Bollywood star.
After being a favourite of the advertising world for so long, Sachin Tendulkar will finally make a film debut on his return from Sri Lanka. After a return of 95 runs in six innings during the Test series there, that debut may lead to a second career.
Here, we look at some other cricketers that have had reel opportunities put their way...
Shoaib Akhtar
The Rawalpindi Express was offered a part in a Bollywood film called 'Gangster'. The actual role was apparently ideal for Shoaib because he "had the vulnerability of a child".
Producer Mahesh Bhatt met the fast bowler in Karachi to read through the script and was confident there was only going to be one outcome. "Once he hears the story, he cannot refuse it," Bhatt proclaimed.
He did. Perhaps Akhtar had spoken to Mohsin Khan, the former Pakistani batsman, who starred in a Bhatt film that flopped at the box office.
Brett Lee
Having already made a name for himself in India through his musical duet with Asha Bhosle, Lee will line up alongside Brad Hogg, Stuart Clark and Mike Hussey to shoot scenes for 'Victory', the rags to riches story of an Indian cricketer. Lee has long expressed his desire to star in a Bollywood film.
"I am excited to be making my Bollywood debut in 'Victory' and I'm hopeful playing the role of a cricketer will come naturally to me", said the fast bowler.
The film has shots taken from the Adelaide Oval, the SCG and the MCG. A handful of Indian cricketers including RP Singh and Yusuf Pathan are also expected to feature along with Simon Jones, Saj Mahmood, Nathan Astle and Martin Crowe.
It is a shame that director Ajit Patel could not persuade Matthew Hayden and Harbajhan Singh to share a dressing room together.
Ian Botham
During the 1985 Ashes, Ian Botham paraded one of the most horrific bleach-blonde mullets ever seen. This was perhaps part bad taste and part down to his 'manage' at the time, Tim Hudson. Hudson wanted to put Beefy forward as the new 007, but not necessarily in the batting order.
Botham looks back at the episode with disdain: "Would I have stayed in Hollywood for acting lessons and a screen test even if I hadn't had my commitments with England? No chance. It took me a while but when I had that final moment of revelation with Tim Hudson and saw through him, I realised that for everything he promised, it was all about him at the end of the day. He's off his rocker."
Shantha Sreesanth
The feisty fast bowler, who normally directs an unedited verbal repertoire to his opponents on the field, will now be subject to big screen scrutiny. He will be appearing in a new film about a police officer and father of a cricket-mad seven-year-old son.
Sreesanth has had his brush with the entertainment industry earlier, when he penned a song 'Jago India', which was sung by his brother in-law and renowned playback singer Madhu Balakrishnan.
Vinod Kambli
Kambli was Tendulkar's childhood friend and batting partner. When the pair played for Shardashram Vidyamandir School against St Xavier's College in 1988, they shared an unbeaten stand of 664. After seven Tests, Kambli had scored 773 runs at an average of 113.20. Greatness appeared to beckon, until he began to show a weakness for the cut to gully and the bling of celebrity.
His maiden acting role was in the gangster movie 'Annarth', playing the glamorous role of a mechanic. The reviews were not kind. "Kambli danced with elan but ran as poorly on screen as on the playing field," said The Times of India.
Derek Pringle
The Daily Telegraph writer 'suffered' from Essex-man favouritism via Graham Gooch's England influence in the 1980s. His Test average as an all-rounder made Dermot Reeve seem like Imran Khan. In 1981, Pringle had a bit-part role in the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire.
It was a non-speaking part and earned the Cambridge graduate £10 and a free haircut for his efforts. Judging by his England record that was about right.
Tim Ellis