Brett Lee: Crossing boundaries between cricket and Bollywood

Brett Lee

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee can easily consider life in Bollywood after retirement from cricket.
In fact, Lee has already made the entry into Hindi film by appearing in ad filmmaker Ajitpal Mangat's directorial debut Victory, a feature film, which tells the story of a small town boy rising to stardom in cricket.
Lee is among a host of other cricketers from Australia, England, South Africa and India who have been shot in Victory, which stars newcomer Harman Baweja and actress Amrita Rao.
Ajitpal, who was here recently for the shooting of the film along with Lee, told media persons that he is also trying to persuade the Australian player to sing a song that will be used in title track.
Lee says he has a "full-fledged" role as a player who is in a team rival of Harman's side. In some sequences, Lee is shown reflecting the aggressiveness and sledging so typical of an Australian cricketer.
Among the cricketers playing "vital roles" in Victory are Lee, his compatriot cricketer Brad Hogg and Indian medium pacer R.P. Singh, the director says.
Some of the cricketing sequences involving Lee and other cricketers were shot under floodlight at the Swai Mansingh Stadium in the Pink City Jaipur recently.
Ajitpal says while he did not have to tell Lee much about acting in the movie, the other cricketers had to be guided a little. The reason, the director adds, is that Lee has already braced himself for Bollywood.
Singing for Victory should not be much of a problem for Lee, himself a guitarist, who has already lent his voice in an album with legendary Indian singer Asha Bhonsle. In fact, music is one of the major reasons for his love for Bollywood whose films are replete with songs.
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is Lee's favourite actor in Bollywood and actress is Preity Zinta who owns the Mohali team in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition.
Lee is very impressed by his meeting with Amitabh whom he describes as a "humble and down-to-earth man".
When in Australia, Lee says he keeps surfing Indian television channels waiting for a chance to watch Bollywood films but does not remember their titles.
Asked if he is learning Hindi to act in Bollywood, Lee flashes a broad smile and replies "thora thora".